Curse of the Orichalcos
by BlackRoseDragonCK
Summary: Based on the Ghost Rider movie. Yami Mutou is a professional, celebrity duelist as well as a young man deeply in love. What will happen when a mysterious stranger with an odd green stone appears and makes him a deal? YamiXTea. Disclaimers inside. The cover image says "Soul Reaper" with the "r" slightly cut off lol. Sorry, still learning how to use the new image feature.
1. The Deal

**I DO NOT OWN YUGIOH OR GHOST RIDER**

**Hi there ^_^! Thank Ra I'm finally back in town…been in the car for about ten hours LOL. Anyway, this story will be more of a Yugioh twist on Ghost Rider than a rewrite but it will follow a ton of the same events as Ghost Rider and probably similar dialogue. Therefore, I won't have the cast thing in this one but I do have a few things to explain :). For one thing, Solomon is in the place of Johnny Blaze's dad, so he dies. Weevil, Rex, Mako, and Yami Bakura also basically die (they are all villains). In order to make them sound more sinister, I am using Weevil, Rex, and Mako's Japanese names which are Haga, Ryuzaki, and Ryota. Dartz is also pure evil in this LOL. The Millennium Items do not exist except for the Puzzle and the Ring and they serve different purposes. This fic will is about the Orichalcos so I am majorly twisting the plot and character relations ^_^. There will be Revolutionshipping. The ending will be a bit different, and I may or may not do a sequel.**

**X**

**Introduction**

_Ten thousand years ago, there existed a beautiful, prosperous land known as the City of Atlantis. It was a glorious civilization of radiance, peace, and prosperity where everyone dwelled peacefully with everyone and everything else….until one fateful day._

_The king of Atlantis was a just, righteous ruler…but his son, Dartz, was not. He was selfish, arrogant, and incredibly cold and the king did his best to quench those negative qualities…but it was to no avail. On his thirty-first birthday, Dartz took over the throne of Atlantis…but that was only the beginning of the Atlantians' troubles. That same day, strange green stones fell from the sky…stones which radiated with a strange power._

_ This power…proved itself to be of evil origin. It corrupted the minds of all who gave into its wrath…only a few were strong enough to resist its lure and harness its energy. Dartz's greed drove him to explore the power of the Orichalcos stones as they were named…but he was not strong enough to resist. The power warped and twisted his already cruel mind, whispering plans of evil intent into his tainted ears._

_ Dartz discovered that the stones also had the power to steal human souls. When stolen, the souls would leave their owners, trapped in an inescapable abyss where they would lay waiting to be fed to a creature known as the Great Leviathan. After enough souls were collected, Dartz planned to use the Leviathan to swallow the earth…and bring about an all new age of darkness and oppression._

_ The Orichalcos granted Dartz the gift of eternal life…but he knew he would need help in gathering the millions of souls needed to fuel the Great Leviathan. Therefore, he instigated a ritual known to the terrified citizens of Atlantis known as The Test. Over hundreds of years, he brought in person after person and subjected them to the Orichalcos stones' power. Most of them fell into insanity from the dark power and lost their souls afterward…but a select few souls were able to survive. These four individuals were known as the Soul Reapers, demons who would travel the across the land, stealing the souls of man to fuel the Great Leviathan._

_ As thousands of years passed, a sinister village known as Kul Elna was born in the sands of ancient Egypt…as was a brilliant plan. Dartz knew…that the darker the souls, the more power the great snake would receive. He sent his Reapers to Kul Elna to make deals with the greedy people…and it was not long before they drew up a document known as the Treaty of Kul Elna. The treaty promised every soul in Kul Elna in exchange for tremendous wealth…but before the Reapers could deliver the document to their master…Dartz's father intervened._

_ Unfortunately for Dartz, the king was strong enough to resist the Orichalcos lure…and had been using his curse against his son. He fought off the demons, retrieving the Treaty of Kul Elna and retreating to a distant land, far from his son's vision. The Soul Reapers disbanded, unwilling to return empty handed to their furious master._

_ Now they wander the earth, siding with neither the light of the king or the darkness of the prince…while the king of Atlantis remains in hiding with the treaty…and Dartz scans the nations, searching for his prized document….as well as a new Soul Reaper powerful enough to take on his former apprentices…and collect enough souls to revive the Great Leviathan. _

X

Eighteen-year-old Yami Mutou grinned, listening to the cheers of the crowd and feeling the adrenaline pumping in his veins. This was the thrill of his life…being the grandson of a Master Duelist as well as a budding Master himself. He was in the famous Kaiba Corp Duel Dome, a stadium where only the best duelists competed while throngs of adoring fans paid to watch. The Mutous were the best duelists around, the eldest being the grandfather, Solomon, and the youngest being Yami's little brother, Yugi.

Yami, however, was the one most people came to see. He was known for his daring maneuvers and seemingly invincible reputation. He somehow found a way out of every potential loss...as if there were an angel of victory watching over him. In addition, Yami always put a touch of daringness into his matches. Every major duel, he lowered the safeguard setting, making the holograms more and more lifelike…and therefore making the damage more and more intense.

Today, masses were crowded into the dark blue seating that ran all along the walls of the sphere-shaped dome. Hands, signs, and banners waved in the air, clearly visible against the metal walls and stark white lighting, all of them shouting the eldest Mutou boy's name. He was in an extremely heated duel…and had the safeguard setting lowered to seventy-five percent, a setting which would inflict serious injury upon him if he were to get hit with a powerful attack.

"Make your move!" Yami said, crimson eyes bright with confidence.

Though he never thought much of it, the young man was exceedingly handsome. He had a slim yet muscled body, spiked hair of red, blonde, and black, and piercing eyes of the most unique blood color. His voice was deep and powerful, giving him an air of intimidation that was hard to ignore. He always dressed in black, studs, and belts, adding to that intimidating demeanor…though his personality was just, kind…and just a little reckless.

Yami's opponent was visibly shaking, glancing back and forth frantically at the cards in his hand. In spite of the fact that his safeguard was turned on…he was more nervous than the latter was.

"A-all right…" the boy said. "I p-place one card face down and end my turn…"

He slammed a card onto his duel disk, making the holographic image glitter to life before him. A roguish grin spread across Yami's pale face as he surveyed the field. His opponent had one thousand life points left, one card face down, and one twelve hundred point monster in attack mode due to Yami's Stop Defense card. Yami had the Dark Magician, a twenty five hundred point spell caster, as well as one card face down and two thousand life points. He was about to win the duel…all it would take was one last assault.

"Dark Magician!" he ordered. "Attack his monster now! Dark Magic Attack!"

The purple-clothed magician raised his staff and unleashed a wave of black energy…but the opponent grinned in triumph.

"Not so fast!" he called. "I reveal a trap! Mirror Force!"

The card flipped up, revealing the trap's reflective surface. The black magic struck and started to bend backwards towards its owner….but Yami had a backup plan.

He smirked, his trademark expression. "Too bad for you, I also have a trap. Activate Trap Jammer, now!"

"What!"

The Mutou duelist's card flipped up…and the mirror energy dissipated, causing Dark Magician's spell to continue on its path. It struck the rival's monster, shattering it like glass…and the boy's life points dropped to zero.

A sudden weakness hit Yami's toned frame and he fell to his knees as the announcer dubbed him the winner. His shoulders heaved with exhaustion and he gulped in air, surprised and a little alarmed that the duel had taken such a toll on him…but his shock soon turned to a grin when he heard the cheers. The crowd chanted his name and he finally found the strength to get back to his feet and give them a triumphant wave.

As the cheering continued, Yami deactivated his duel disk and walked to the duelist's exit of the stadium…where his brother and grandfather were waiting. Yugi's large purple eyes were even wider than usual…and Solomon's wrinkled face was a mask of graveness.

"Hey you two…" Yami smiled, walking up to his family and wrapping a roughly affectionate arm around his little brother's shoulders. "How did I do?"

Solomon took one look at the youth's fatigue-wracked form and shook his head, his spiked grey hair flopping as he did so.

"You think you're a real hotshot, don't you, kiddo? You think you know all there is to know?"

Yami sighed, not wanting a lecture. "We've been through this, Grandpa…I'm the next generation of Mutou duelists. It's my responsibility to add a little edge to our game so we can keep people interested. The safeguards—"

"Are there to protect you!" Yugi finally spoke, his voice coming out in a squeak. "You're gonna get hurt if you keep lowering them!"

The elder brother fondly ruffled the sixteen-year-old boy's hair that was so much like his own and started to walk out of the dome…but his lecture was not over.

"You do things without thinking!" Solomon continued, practically running on his stumpy legs to keep up with the youth as he strode through the parking lot. "One of these days…" his voice broke off in a coughing fit that made him stop in his tracks to catch his breath.

"Grandpa—"

"Do you think she's gonna stand by you when you're a scorch mark on the stadium floor?"

Yami froze for just a moment…before he continued to his parked vehicle, a gorgeous, sleek black motorcycle with deep red flames. He mounted it…and started it up, riding off in the direction of his usual rendezvous point. He was going to meet the ominous "her" Solomon had mentioned…Tea Gardner.

X

Yami smiled and closed his eyes letting the cool breeze wash over him. He loved this area… It was a remote spot out in the Domino City countryside. A large, leafy tree hung over a grassy hill with a few boulders that were just perfect for sitting on. The tree provided a perfect source of shade beneath the scorching sun…the tree…with the words "Y and T forever" crudely scratched into its bark.

Yami's blood eyes fluttered open and he allowed them to wander to his companion perched on one of the boulders. Tea Gardner…the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen. She had chocolate hair that was cute cutely short, ivory skin, and bright sapphire eyes. Her personality was sweet and compassionate…with just a hint of feistiness that made her completely appealing. She was also very intelligent and graceful, an aspiring dancer both in body and mind. Tea had been his girlfriend for two years now…and he could scarcely imagine himself with someone else.

Today, however, Tea seemed…distracted. Even when the duelist carved their initials into the tree, something that normally would have made her laugh and blush…she'd merely smiled and looked away, as if the sight somehow pained her. Now, she was sitting, legs elegantly crossed, on one of the stones…completely silent. She wore a white sundress with light blue designs that nicely conformed to her torso and flowed around her graceful legs. She looked positively radiant…but her gaze was far away…and strangely sorrowful.

Yami went up behind the girl and wrapped his arms around her waist, leaning his cheek against the side of her head.

"What's wrong, Tea?" he asked softly.

The brunette heaved a heavy sigh and turned, pressing her face into his neck. He felt something wet on his skin and pulled back in alarm. Tea was crying, crystal-like tears dripping from her ebony lashes onto the grassy ground below. Wiping the water from her cheeks, Yami cupped her face, gazing intently into those cerulean eyes. She had her gaze averted, obviously embarrassed about crying in front of him.

"Tea, what's wrong…?"

The girl sniffed and took a deep shaky breath before standing up and beginning to pace. The spiky-haired youth's heart skipped a beat. She only did that when she was extremely upset about something.

"Tea—"

"I'm leaving, Yami."

Yami stared at her, neither believing nor understanding what she had just said. "…What?"

"My dad is sending me to live with my mom in New York!" the girl whirled, tears coming harder and faster down her beautiful face. "He's finally done it! After all these years he's finally broken us up…he's always said he didn't approve of you…that you were just a phase…but he's wrong! He doesn't know you! He doesn't know us…" her voice broke off into sobs.

Yami went to her, wrapped his arms around her trembling form, and pulled her close. Tea squeezed his waist tight, burying her face into his shoulder.

"What are we going to do?" she asked, her voice muffled by his black tank.

The youth tightened his grip on her and looked out at their wondrous surroundings. The cool breeze…the grassy hills…the quaint, white fence…free road…blue sky…just the two of them….the offer seemed too good to pass up. He pulled back a little so that he could look at her face.

"We'll leave."

Tea blinked. "What?"

"You…me…we'll run away together. It'll be nothing but clear skies and freedom."

"What? Oh, no…" the girl shook her head frantically, biting her lip. "I couldn't ask you to do that…what about your grandpa? What about the Mutou duelist reputation?"

Yami smiled and traced her pink lips with his finger. "They don't need me. With a little more practice, Yugi can be the next great Mutou duelist. You are more important to me than any of that. We'll meet here. Tomorrow. At noon."

Tea's eyes were still wide with shock…but she nodded ever so slowly. Yami smiled at her and took her face between his hands again, wiping the residual tears away with his thumbs.

"I hate to see you cry…" he murmured. "Can I have a smile?"

Tea let out a giggle…and she beamed at him lovingly, sapphire eyes sparkling in the sunlight.

"That's the Tea I know…" Yami whispered and captured her lips in a gentle kiss.

The girl moaned softly and wrapped her arms around his neck while the duelist's went around her waist, the two of them, lost in the passion and love they felt for each other.

Little did they know…that would be the last moment they would have…in quite some time.

X

By the time Yami reached his home, the Kame Game Shop, the skies had turned black. There was an eerie silence and mist settling over the dimly lit city streets of Domino City…but he didn't take time to ponder it. He entered the cement driveway…and took just a moment to smile fondly at the store he and his family had been living in for as long as he could remember.

It stood near the edge of the street, easily recognizable in its oddly-fashioned, green and yellow shape. The phrase "Game Shop" was printed in funky red letters on a sign near the sidewalk, accented with a trademark turtle above the writing. This place was certainly an odd building to call home… but it was home nonetheless.

Yami pulled open the glass door, smiling fondly as the familiar sound of bells greeted him, and stepped inside. He absently flipped the "Open" sign to its "Closed" position, before continuing toward the staircase that led up into the living quarters of the building. He passed the usual glass counters filled with countless foil card packets as well as the colorful posters plastered over the white walls, announcing the toughest roughest tournaments in Domino. This whole place smelled of wondrous nostalgia…and he wouldn't change anything about it.

Climbing up the narrow stairway, the duelist entered the upper floor that led to the house portion of the establishment. The living arrangements were simple—living room, kitchen, single bathroom, two bedrooms, but they were sufficient. Grandpa always said that they should save their money for necessities and use whatever was left over to upgrade their dueling equipment…and the younger boys agreed with his logic.

Yami strolled into the living room…and smiled. Wearing his usual black bandana, white T-shirt, and green overalls, Solomon was fast asleep in one of the cushy chairs, head lolling to one side and snoring softly. One hand trailed over the side of the chair…while the other was resting on a book in his lap.

Yami crept over to him, switching off the small television as he went. It had been playing something on the history channel about ancient Egypt, Solomon's favorite subject. He frequently studied Egyptology in his spare time and even fashioned his dueling deck with cards based off of Egyptian mythology.

The young duelist reached over and carefully removed the book from his grandfather's lap. Flipping through the pages…he allowed himself a small smile. Solomon…had been looking through an old photo album of their family…over what had once been their family. Yami's ruby eyes wandered to a particular page that had only a single, simple picture pasted onto it. The photo showed and two-year-old boy with spiky hair and bright red eyes, waving his hands in the air as his father held him, a pretty young woman with red eyes much like the two-year-old's, holding a tiny baby in her arms, and a younger version of Solomon with black and blonde hair…and a much happier sparkle in his eyes. The Mutou family…or what had once been the Mutou family…before Yami's parent's died.

Yami heaved a sigh before placing the book on the scratched coffee table and sorting through the mail his grandfather had unceremoniously strewn all over the wood. He saw a few bills, magazines, junk mail….but one piece of paper caught his eye. It was a pristine white with business-like typing…and it looked as if it had been crumpled up once and straightened out again.

The duelist picked it up and smoothed it out. His eyes flicked over the words…and his heart grew icy cold. He saw the words "Mr. Mutou" and "We are sorry to inform you" and "cancer" and "spread" and… "two months to two weeks." Yami looked back to Solomon. The old man had been looking bad the past few weeks…often breaking down into coughing fits….and now his grandson knew why. There was a small packet of cigarettes sticking out of his overalls…even though he supposedly quit ages ago.

Yami let out a shuddering breath and snatched the cigarettes away. He threw them into the trashcan before practically running out of the shop. He couldn't ask Grandpa about it…the old man would want to break it to the boys himself…he had to get away so that he wouldn't think about it. Yami couldn't imagine living without Solomon though…Solomon…the man who had raised him and Yugi…Yugi…the poor boy would be heartbroken.

The duelist quickened his pace, slipping out the door and leaning his back against it. He willed the tears back. He had to be strong…had to enjoy the time he had left with his grandfather…and be prepared to lose him forever.

X

About an hour later, Yami had pretty well calmed himself down. He sat on a bench near the bus stop sign that rested at the street outside the Game Shop. He and his brother often complained about the noise the bus made all throughout the night…but Solomon rejoiced about it, saying that people waiting for a bus were potential customers…Solomon…who would soon never happily greet customers again…

Yami shook the thought away and forced himself to focus on the task at hand. He had busied himself cleaning the fingerprints from his cards and duel disk with a special Kaiba Corp manufactured cloth. The fabric was specially designed to remove any impurities from the delicate technology without damaging it. What most people did not know, was that Solomon was the one who actually invented the cloth in the first place…

The youth's shoulders tensed and his ruby eyes narrowed. It seemed that no matter what train of thought he followed, it always led back to his grandfather. Perhaps he should just rip off the band-aid, and tell the man he knew about the cancer…

Yami sighed…and jumped in alarm when he did so. He could see his own breath. A grotesque mist rolled past his black studded shoes, followed by a horrid chill that seemed to creep all the way down to his bones. The air was heavy with an unnerving silence, as if all life had retreated into the shadows that now consumed the city block.

Yami rubbed his hand over his bare arms and was about to go inside to get a jacket…when an unfamiliar voice made his heart skip a beat.

"Yami Mutou…I enjoyed your duel today."

The youth turned…and was met by a stranger who had seemingly appeared out of nowhere. It was a man who seemed to be in his thirties with long, greenish blue hair that framed and angular face. His eyes…were eerily mismatched—one green and one gold, and they glittered with a coldness Yami had never seen before. The man wore an odd business suit of purple and white shoes, making him look like some corporate tycoon.

"Of course…" the stranger smiled, a cold, chilling smile. His voice had a crisp, unidentifiable accent. "…I always enjoy your fights. I wonder…if you would one day fight for me…?"

Yami raised a single ebony eyebrow, leaning an elbow on his thigh rather than getting up out of respect. "You run a duel team?"

The stranger gave another one of those frigid smiles. "Something like that…"

"Well…thanks, but no thanks…" the duelist turned away and glared at the ground as if it had offended him. The only duel team he ever wanted to be a part of was the Mutou line…no one else.

"What's wrong, Yami?" the man asked, stepping a little closer. For the first time, Yami noticed that he was carrying an odd-looking, black walking stick. On its head, was a skull….carved out of some strange green crystal he couldn't identify.

"Worried about your grandpa?"

Yami's heart lurched and he involuntarily leapt to his feet. "What do you know about Grandpa?"

The stranger rolled his eyes and began pacing around, circling the youth as a tiger circles its prey. "Any fool can see that he is sick. His body is too old to survive. And the thing about cancer…" the duelist jumped again at that, wondering how this stranger knew so much. "…is the misery it inflicts on a person…the sadness it plants in the hearts of others as they watch their loved one slowly waste away…"

Yami swallowed hard. He couldn't bear to see his pleasantly plump grandfather become and scraggly, sickly being begging for death take his pain away.

The man gave him a sideways look but continued pacing. "What if I could help your grandpa, Yami?"

"How could you possibly—"

"How is not the issue. If I promised to make him better…restore his health…would you be willing to take a little test?"

"Test?" Yami blinked. "What kind of test?"

The man's lips twisted into a smirk and he finally stopped pacing. He stood a few feet away from the boy…and drove the bottom of his walking stick into the ground. The green skull began to emit a creepy glow…and the coldness hanging over them grew even thicker.

"It is quite simple. All you have to do is reach out…and place your hand on this stone. If you can touch it, I will cure Solomon of his cancer and collect on your debt when needed. If not…well…let's just say you won't have the mind to care about your grandfather anymore."

Yami didn't know what that last statement meant, but he didn't take time to ponder it. His grandfather's life was at stake here…what did he have to lose? Taking a deep breath, the duelist slowly nodded…and fixed the stranger with a firm stare.

"I accept your challenge…" he said…and the stranger smiled.

"I figured as much…" he said and held the staff out a little ways. "Now…let The Test begin!"

As soon as the words left his lips…a powerful force exploded from the emerald skull. It was a cold energy that pushed Yami backwards, and sent daggers of doubt, fear, and sadness slicing at his heart. He felt as though the energy were reaching out to him with icy fingers, trying to convince him that he couldn't handle the challenge…trying to make him lose his mind…but he wouldn't let that stop him. He was gambling for Solomon's health…and he was determined to win that bet.

Gritting his teeth together, Yami braced his body against the green force and began to push forward. His feet moved only an inch at a time…but they still moved nonetheless. As he pushed forward, the negative feelings and chill grew even worse. Yami felt as though his bare arms were being licked by icy cold flames that freeze burned his flesh…the feelings in his heart made him want to scream…to cry…to give up and just let his mind detach from his body….but he bit his lip, drawing blood as well as determination that he would force back the pain and defeat this challenge.

Finally, when he was foot away and ready to absolutely die, the duelist clamped his hand over the skull…and the force vanished. He felt his hand begin to burn painfully and whipped it back in alarm. On the palm…was a strange symbol the same color as the skull—a circle with a star design that slightly resembled a Star of David. It glowed for a moment…before disappearing into the flesh as if it had never been there in the first place. Yami looked up at the stranger, who was smiling at him sinisterly.

"Well done, my child…" he said, as if the strange occurrence had somehow bound them together. "Your grandfather will be healthier than ever tomorrow. I will be back to collect on my debt."

Yami opened his mouth, intending to ask more questions…but he never got the chance. The stranger's face contorted. His mouth twisted into a grin filled with nail-like teeth and both eyes glowed that odd green color. The circle star design lit up his forehead…and everything went black.

X

Fear…sorrow…pain… Eerie green light reached out with its burning claws, grasping his heart…making him scream in agony. Then…the pain was replaced by something…power…hunger…vengeance… That strange star seal surrounded him like a cage, cutting off any chance to escape. Then the man…the blue-haired stranger appeared out of the darkness like some grotesque shadow. His grin was wide and unnatural, showing teeth like shards of glass. His mismatched eyes glinted evilly and that seal glowed on his forehead. He reached out with clawed fingers to seize the youth's soul.

Another scream wrenched from Yami's lips…and he sat up straight in bed, breathing hard. Sweat slicked his entire body and his shoulders heaved up and down as he gulped in oxygen. He looked around. He was in his and Yugi's bedroom…nothing was different. Same small beds with dark blue comforters, same skylight window, same desk with a multitude of duelist manuals, same assortment of various puzzles, same light carpet, same duel monsters posters…as if nothing had happened.

Light streamed in through the window, letting the duelist know that it was morning…and stirring up even more confusion. It was daytime…so had last night really happened? If so…how did he end up in bed? What happened after he took that weird test?

Groaning, Yami swung his legs over the bed, grabbed his dark jeans, black tank, and studded belts, and headed into the bathroom to get dressed. He entered the small but sufficient room and tore off his pajama shirt, throwing it aside and heading straight for the sink. He grabbed the silver handle and cranked it on, splashing cold water into his face to help wake himself up.

Only after doing this, did Yami look at his reflection in the mirror. His hair was sleep tussled and his blood eyes were droopy from slumber…but other than that, there was no change. Same pale skin, same striking features…he sighed in complete and utter confusion….and finally just got dressed.

X

Fastening his favorite belt choker around his neck, Yami trudged sleepily into the kitchen…and nearly fell over at what he saw. Standing there, fully dressed and whistling cheerily as he poured coffee into a red mug….was Solomon. The man was moving smoothly without the usual pain and fatigue, breathing easily…and a gleam of strength glowed in his amethyst eyes. He looked up at his grandson and smiled, making the aged skin around his eyes crinkle.

"Good morning, sleepyhead."

Yami stared at him in disbelief before shaking his head and stammering, "G-Grandpa…? You look…"

"Great!" he grinned and pounded a fist against his chest. "I feel great!" He went over…and placed a hand on the youth's shoulders, gaze softening.

"Yami…the truth is…I've been sick for awhile now…haven't been making the best choices for my health….and right as I was getting ready to tell you…I find out from the doctors that I'm not sick anymore! Apparently, they messed up the test results or something…heh, never thought I'd be so glad that my doctors made a mistake!"

He clapped Yami on the back with a strength he hadn't possessed in a long time now. Yami felt as if the wind had been knocked out of him. It…actually…worked…? He couldn't believe it…Grandpa was going to be okay! He blinked, finally realizing something and turning to face the old man.

"Grandpa, where are you going?"

Solomon tied his trademark black bandana over his untamed grey locks…and grabbed his deck off the kitchen counter. "I've got a match today."

"A match? Are you sure you should be—"

"Yami, I've been hanging out on the sidelines for too long now…" Solomon's eyes shone with the same fire that all duelists possessed. "I'm a duelist. And a duelist duels. It's about time I get back into it before I forget how to play the game."

Yami grinned and let out a hearty laugh. "Well all right then. Let's get you to the Duel Dome!"

X

Yami smiled proudly as he watched his grandfather. The old man was dueling some young hotshot…and faring quite well. The crowd was cheering like crazy, thrilled to see the man who had trained Yami in action.

Standing beside him, Yugi laughed at Solomon's wide grin. "Grandpa's really getting into it, isn't he?"

Yami nodded fondly. "He's a duelist. Duelists can only sit still for so long before they get restless."

"It's almost like someone went in and took the sickness right out of him."

Yami froze for a moment…and stared at his grandfather. He remembered the stranger's words… "I will come to collect on my debt"… and felt his heart lurch uncomfortably. He forced the feeling back, choosing to enjoy his loved one's newfound health. He would worry about the consequences later…right now, Solomon would enjoy this moment of triumph over the greatest monster of his life.

Currently, the duel was at a rather heated phase. Solomon had Big Shield Gardna in defense mode with twenty-six hundred defense points and no cards face down. His opponent had one card face down on the field and Vampire Lord, a two thousand point monster in attack mode. The kid, some skeletally thin-faced boy named Bonz, grinned in triumph.

"Look out, old man. I reveal a spell card. Raigeki! You defense is destroyed!" the card on the field flipped up…and a golden bolt of lightening struck down on Solomon's defense monster. Big Shield Gardna shattered into pieces, leaving the old man…wide open.

"Now!" Bonz chuckled evilly and pointed at his opponent. "Vampire Lord, attack him directly!"

The green-haired blood sucker leapt forward, fangs bared as a horrid hiss resounded from his throat. The holographic creature's black cape whirled around him like bat wings and he slashed with clawed fingers into Solomon's chest.

The old man let out a horrifying cry...and Yami and Yugi stood up in alarm. Holographic attacks shouldn't have hurt that bad…unless the safeguards… Solomon's duel disk crackled with electricity as the attack continued. Solomon was thrown backwards…hit the ground…and did not move.

Yami and Yugi shared a look before leaping from their seats and racing out onto the metal field. Yami's heart pounded as they ran. He could here the techs scurrying to shut down the sparking holographic machinery. They were speaking rapidly…but the youth caught something about "safeguards…failing."

Both boys dropped to the fallen man's side. Yugi slid the groaning duel disk off his stumpy arm. Yami took Solomon's wrinkled face between his shaking hands, holding his head steady so that he could look at him. The old man's violet eyes were unfocused…his breathing shallow…a soft moan coming from his lips.

"Grandpa…?" Yami whispered, feeling the tears beginning to sting his eyes. "C'mon, Grandpa, stay with us! You've got a duel to fight!"

The man locked his gaze onto his grandson's for just a moment. Amethyst orbs locked onto ruby gems…until the former slowly began to close.

"No, Grandpa!" Yugi cried, the tears as obvious in his voice as they were on his older brother's face.

Solomon let out another shuddering breath…before his body went slack. His chest stopped rising…his hands relaxed…and his skin went cold.

"No…" Yami bent his head, hot tears streaming down his face and dripping onto the cold, metal floor.

Yugi had his face buried in their grandfather's chest, his smaller shoulders shuddering with sobs.

How could this happen? Solomon had just gotten another chance at life…only to have it brutally ripped from him again. The sobs died down in Yami's throat…and his heart went cold. He knew what had happened. He had been cheated by that man…that stranger. He slowly looked up, feeling his jaw clench and his eyes grow narrow. He could sense the man…and he was going to go after him.

X

Minutes later, Yami was on his motorcycle, riding down the dirt rode in the Domino countryside. The sun was beginning to set, casting a grayish dusky glow over the grassy land…but Yami didn't take the time to survey the scenery. The hatred in his heart was boiling over…the sadness…the guilt…his hands tightened on the motorcycle's handles, squeezing so hard that he thought they might break.

As he rode, the duelist began to feel that familiar coldness…that oppressiveness. Before he could slow his vehicle down though, a vision flashed through his brain. He saw the stranger's face…mismatched eyes…but with that horrible demonic mouth he'd had in the dreams. It unleashed an unearthly shriek…and he turned hard on his bike, hitting a large rock and flying off the vehicle.

Yami hit the ground and rolled, coming to a painful stop on the dirt road. He pounded a weak fist onto the ground before letting the sobs shake his body. He took choking breaths, trying to calm himself, but the tears wouldn't stop coming. They ran, hot and hard down his pale face, stinging his blood eyes. It wasn't supposed to be like this…Grandpa was supposed to be better…they were supposed to have a dozen more happy years together…and now he was dead.

"What's wrong, Yami?"

The familiar voice sent a jolt of hatred through Yami's veins. He leapt to his feet, wiping a hand over his eyes before glaring burningly at the blue-haired stranger. His eyes stung…but the sadness was gone, replaced by endless loathing and fury. He slowly raised his finger…and pointed at the stranger.

"You…" he growled, voice dripping with venom. "You killed him."

The stranger gave one of those chilling smiles. "I cured his illness. That was the deal we made. I said I would get rid of his cancer…I never said I would preserve his life. I couldn't have him standing between you and me…and our agreement."

"You son of a…" Yami lunged forward, swinging a fist to slug the villain…but his body dissipated into shadows. He looked around in confusion…and his body went rigid when the man's voice sounded from behind him.

"Listen to me, Yami…" Yami felt two hands clamp down onto his shoulders.

The hands burned into his skin, an awful, freezing burn…but he couldn't reach up to push them away. He couldn't move. It seemed as though…he was frozen mind and body….though he could still hear the stranger's voice.

"Forget family…" the man said…and visions began to play in Yami's mind. He saw Yugi smiling and waving cheerily…saw Grandpa winking. "Forget about a future…" he saw himself in countless heated duels, winning every one of them. "Forget about…love…" Yami saw himself with Tea…felt her soft lips against his.

The stranger's grip tightened painfully on his shoulders and he leaned in to whisper into his ear. His breath was frigid on the youth's skin.

"I will return for you when I need you…" he growled, his voice taking on a grotesque, demonic undertone. "You are mine, Yami Mutou."

And then….he vanished. Yami let out a breath and fell to his knees. His shoulders heaved as he gulped in oxygen, feeling as if he hadn't breathed in an eternity. He heard a rumbling over his head…and felt rain begin to fall onto his shuddering back.

The youth's shoulders still burned from the stranger's acid touch…and the rain, though it was terribly cold, helped to soothe it. Yami got onto his knees and let the rain hit his face, let it wash away the residual tears. His hair was soaked with water and his black tank top stuck to him like glue…but he didn't care. The rain felt cleansing somehow…purifying…though nothing could rid him of the stranger's tainting mark…that odd green seal.

Yami opened his blood eyes…and let them narrow, feeling his jaw clench in determination. The stranger was right. He wasn't about to put those he loved in danger again. He couldn't run away with Tea….couldn't confide in Yugi as he always had before….he was on his own now.

Yami couldn't live in fear that those he loved would be sacrificed…because of a foolish choice he had made.

**Dark, but I promise it will have a happy ending (I am changing the ending to where it's completely satisfying). I purposefully got the majorly sad beginning out of the way first chapter :). I didn't include the part where Johnny leaves Roxanne standing on the hill to cut down on the sadness. Also, things will work out in the end for Yami and Tea ^_^. I hope you liked and please review :)! Please no flames.**

**I DO NOT OWN YUGIOH OR GHOST RIDER**


	2. Cheating Death

**I DO NOT OWN YUGIOH OR GHOST RIDER**

**Here's chapter two :)! I'm REALLY sorry about Mako Tsunami being a villain. I have no issues with him in the show, but he is filling in the role of the water demon and he's a water duelist. He has a nice, potentially dangerous appearance whereas someone like Alister…doesn't LOL. Also, I really didn't want to kill of Bakura AND Marik in this since Marik will either cameo or be in the sequel if I decide to do one. By the way, Yami Bakura is in his thief king form right now (you'll see why later). **

**Sailorblaze:**

**Yami: *Glaring at BlackRose* If you set my head on fire in this fic, I swear I will Obliviate you.**

**BlackRose: *Eeeps and hides behind Bakura* I promise I won't! Please don't go Season Zero on me!**

**Bakura: *Rolling his eyes* Don't worry. He can't Mind Crush the author of the story. *Glances at BlackRose* If you're not going to set his head on fire…can I?**

**BlackRose: No! No one is allowed to play with fire in this household! That includes YOU, Dartz!**

**Dartz: Shoot! You will regret this! *Runs off to plot***

**DMG: Don't worry, I'll protect us! *Casts spell…and turns everyone into chibi versions of themselves***

**Chibi Bakura: *Now has big, adorable brown eyes and cutely shaggy hair with a small body* Dark Magician Girl…if I ever get out of this fluffy, big-eyed form I'm going to kill you.**

**:)**

**Atem's Sister Atea: Thanks ^_^! Ghost Rider is my favorite superhero :). Sorry about Mako…I needed someone to be the water demon and I figured (since he's a minor character) everyone wouldn't be as sad when he gets killed off LOL. You're right, Dartz was twenty-one in the anime, but I made him thirty-one here so that he could legitimately treat Yami like a child who could be controlled. Good grief…I never noticed that Johnny never got cleared before LOL! I'll have to be thinking about that one… I agree, the hill scene with Roxanne was overly heart wrenching… Happy Holidays to you too ^_^!**

**MutantEnemy6789: Thanks :)! I liked the movie, but the ending BITES LOL.**

**Coka Cookie Cola: Haha, I agree. During season four when everyone was getting mad at poor Yami for using the Orichalcos, I was like "BACK OFF PEOPLE!" XD. I promise, though, Yami and Tea will have their happy ending :).**

**Aqua girl 007: Thanks :)! Sorry about Mako… I will do something very similar to Yami's Orichalcos form in my other story, only he will eventually be able to control his powers. I'm really sorry about your Grandpa…my great grandmother died a little while back on my birthday so I can relate. I promise, the ending of this will be different (I agree, the original ending was AWFUL) ^_^.**

**Sunrise Phoenix: Thanks ^_^! I missed all of you too :). Yep, things are going to get heated in the Mutou family LOL. Yami will not have a burning skull. He will be kind of like a demon (imagine the way I described him in my Remember the Time fic, only I'll add more detail :). Yeah, I think he will do something similar to Ghost Rider's Penance Stare (look into my eyes LOL) ^_^.**

**AnimeLovver316: Thank you ^_^! I felt so bad about killing off Solom *sniffs*…I actually found out online that Solomon still runs the Kame Game Shop during Yugioh GX LOL.**

**Kender20: Thanks ^_^! Glad to be back :). Yeah, Ironheart is going to be the Carter Slade in this :). I always thought he was a cool character so I'm excited about getting to use him ^_^. Yugi and Tea are going to receive quite a shock XD.**

**PrincessKisara: Thanks :)! I agree, if I don't like the idea of something, then I simply don't read it ^_^.**

**X**

**Five Years Later…**

Yami stood, blood eyes narrowed as he scrutinized the cards in his hand. He was now twenty-three years old…though he felt as though he'd aged fifty years instead of five. He was still as handsome as ever…but some of his cockiness had vanished, replaced by a seriousness that made him a tad standoffish. His once bright ruby eyes were now slightly shadowed…haunted by one specific incident of his past. He still had nightmares about the stranger…that odd seal…though he didn't dare tell anyone…who would believe him?

In spite of all the mental change, however, Yami was still a daredevil duelist. He still relished the thrill of lowering the safeguards…of engaging in heated battles that often made his chances of victory slim. Also…he was still in love with Tea Gardner. Tea…he missed her so much. He hadn't gone to get her that afternoon they were supposed to run away together…and she'd been taken away to her mother's house…far away from him. They hadn't seen each other since…but he still remembered her so clearly…her sparkling eyes…sweet smile…feisty, yet kind personality…her soft lips…He shook the memory off. It was too painful to think about her…He had to focus on his current duel.

Yami was in the Kaiba Corp Duel Dome, dueling a gentle but skilled, white-haired duelist named Ryo. In spite of his sweet, quiet personality…Ryo possessed a ghost deck with a sizable assortment of ghoulish monsters, each more terrifying than the next. He combined them with fierce power-ups and darkness enhancing spells, proving himself to be a fighter willing to face the great Yami Mutou.

"All right," Yami grinned, feeling the old fire of excitement burn within his duelist's heart. "I sacrifice Kuriboh in order to summon Dark Magician Girl in defense mode!"

The brown fuzz ball dissipated…and a new monster appeared out of a portal of glitter. This one was a female spell caster with long, golden hair topped by a pointed blue hat. She wore a formfitting blue and pink dress and spun a scepter in her hand before settling into her defensive position.

"Now I place one card face down and end my turn…" the duelist did as he said and locked his ruby gems onto his opponent's eyes of chocolate. "It's your move."

A smile lit up Ryo's face as he obviously believed he had the advantage….and to the casual observer, he did. He had Dark Necrofear enhanced with Black Pendant, giving her twenty-seven hundred attack points while Dark Magician Girl had only two thousand. His life points stood at five hundred while Yami's were at three hundred…one attack would finish him off. In addition, Yami had lowered his safeguard by ninety percent.

"All right, my Dark Necrofear…" Ryo announced in his gentle, accented voice. "It is time wipe out Yami's last defense! Attack Dark Magician Girl!"

Dark Necrofear, with her dark blue skin, spiked armor, creepy marionette, and black demonic eyes, lunged forward. Her movements were disturbingly nimble, adding to her already grotesque appearance. She unleashed a wave of red energy…and sent it hurtling towards the defensive magician.

The blast came within an inch of Dark Magician Girl…and the Mutou duelist smirked in triumph.

"Not so fast!" he pointed to his face down card. "Activate Magic Cylinder!"

Ryo's face paled. "No!"

A large, colorful cylinder appeared in his spell caster's hands. It absorbed Dark Necrofear's attack in its glowing center before she directed it right back at Ryo. Yami kept his ruby eyes locked on the glow, feeling the warmth of triumph build up within him. This card not only negated the attack to his monster…it dealt damage equal to that attack to his opponent. Ryo would lost the duel…and he would retain his title as the King of Games…he would honor his grandfather's memory…one more time.

Suddenly…that warming satisfaction…faded. It was replaced…by a coldness…a coldness he knew all too well. He felt the sorrow reach its frigid fingers around his heart, felt the fear set in deep…and visions began to play in his mind. He saw the green glow of that skull…felt its burningly cold waves of power pushing him back…saw that stranger…his mismatched eyes…that awful, demon-like grin….

Yami heard a shout and abruptly snapped out of his trance…but not soon enough. He had been so distracted by the horrid vision…that he'd forgotten he still needed to dodge away from the shockwaves of Dark Necrofear's attack. Now…it was too late. The wave of power hit him like a blow to the gut. It felt hot on his bare arms and powerful, knocking the air from his lungs.

The duelist was thrown backwards…and slammed against the metal wall of the Dome, hitting his head in the process. He slumped to the ground…and moaned softly as the world spun. Voices shouted, machinery whirred, footsteps thudded…but those all melded, sounding like white noise within his throbbing skull. Yami tried to keep his blood eyes open…but the blackness was eating at the corner of his vision, doing its best to tear him out of the world of the conscious…perhaps the world of the living. He vaguely caught sight of Yugi's face…but it was blurry…and finally disappeared into darkness altogether.

Yami could feel himself…falling…falling deeper into an endless abyss of shadows. He felt numb…a thousand thoughts buzzed through his fading brain. Poor Yugi…what would he do without his big brother? What would happen to the Mutou reputation? Would Yugi have to pay Yami's debt to the stranger? What would happen…to Tea? Would she mourn when she heard he was dead? Or…did she hate him for leaving her alone those five long years ago?

Yami felt the coldness reach up, wrapping its cruel tendons around his arms. So this was what it was like to die…to fade away into nothingness…

Suddenly….he heard a voice.

"You are no use to me dead…" growled a man. He sounded so familiar…but the youth couldn't quite place who it was.

The frigidness retreated, replaced by a coldness…of a different kind. This one was metallic…and solid. He wasn't falling anymore. He was lying on a hard surface…he could hear people all around him, running, shouting, calling out his name. Yami's head ached, nausea twisted his stomach, and he wanted to fall back into slumber…until one familiar voice reached his years.

"Yami! Yami, please! Come on, big brother!" Yugi sounded frantic…just as he had the day Solomon died. Yami didn't want his brother to feel that way again.

Forcing the pain back into the base of his skull, the youth slowly opened his ruby eyes. He squinted, fighting the urge to close them again. The white, pallid light of the Duel Dome was too bright…it made his migraine even worse. He focused on his sibling's face. Yugi's eyes were even wider than usual, filled with a fear of the utmost intensity.

"Yami? You all right, bro?"

Yami blinked a few times to shake off the grogginess. He lay there for a moment…then looked back to Yugi and inquired, "Is my deck okay?"

The younger boy stared at him…then rolled his amethyst eyes. "Yes, brother, your cards are fine…" His voice was dripping with exasperation but Yami could hear the relief in it.

Grunting with effort, the younger boy helped his brother to his feet…and Yami held up a slightly shaky, stud-clad arm in triumph. The crowd roared in excitement…and somewhat relief as Yugi and the paramedics helped the victor walk towards the back exit of the duel dome away from the flashing cameras and nosy reporters.

X

After a few hours of photographs, autographs, and a quick check up with the medical team, Yami sat back in the celebrity duelist bus, the Blue Eyes Lightning. It was named so because of its exterior white paint which was streaked with light blue electricity designs. The outside was sleek and awe-inspiring…but the inside was even better.

It was roomy, floored with soft carpet of a deep azure and lit by pleasantly dim ceiling lights. Plush seating ran along one side, leading to a small but convenient table area. There was even a small refrigerator as well as a television equipped with a video game station, which Yugi was currently dominating.

The table at the end of the bus was being used as a Duel Monsters playing board. Three of their close friends, Joey, Tristan, and Duke, were playing the game without holograms, shouting and cursing occasionally during losses.

Yami sat back in one of the plush seats, leaning his head against the cool, tinted window. The road outside was dark with the blanket of night and it was raining heavily, but the Blue Eyes White Lightening was so sophisticated that it barely even bumped over the road. Yugi sat in the seat next to him, pounding frantically on the video game controller. He was playing a game called Capsule Monsters Coliseum, a game very similar to Duel Monsters which Yami easily dominated.

Yugi, however, was having quite a bit of trouble. He growled in irritation, keeping his violet eyes locked on the screen, squeezing the controller so hard that it creaked in protest. Finally, the screen flashed in big, red letters, "Game Over" and the twenty-one-year-old threw the controller down in frustration.

Yami flicked his eyes to his brother, raising a single ebony brow. "Have you tried…you know…not losing…?"

Yugi stuck his tongue out impishly and the elder brother grinned, showing his white teeth. Yami then turned his ruby gaze back to the book in his lap. It was a book about an ancient, fabled city known as Atlantis…and it intrigued him to no end. For years, he'd been searching the mythology of different cultures, trying to find something, anything that came close to mentioning the emerald seal that haunted his nightmares. He'd found several passages in this book that mentioned an ancient, Atlantian symbol of darkness…but had trouble finding any more information. Most of the supposed evidential records of the ancient city were untranslatable…or at least that was what the author of the book claimed.

Yugi got up from his chair and went to the refrigerator, pulling out a bright red Coka Cola can. He held it up at his brother, saying, "I've gotta stay awake so I can beat this stupid game. You want one?"

Yami shook his head, not taking his eyes off the book. "You know caffeine gives me nightmares…." That wasn't exactly true. The real reason he didn't drink caffeine was because he already had enough trouble sleeping and didn't need any drug to aid the problem. His sleep was haunted with dreams of green symbols and darkness and mismatched-eyed strangers, often leaving him more tired when he woke up than he was when he went to bed.

The duelist sighed softly and let his gaze travel back to the shadowed window. The rain still poured, heavily and rhythmically…and his mind wandered back to that afternoon his grandfather died…the purifying, cold rain falling onto his face, mixing with the hot tears. He thought of Tea…how confused and hurt she must have felt when he didn't come to get her….the melancholy emotion must have showed on his face because Yugi leaned forward and concernedly asked, "Big brother? You all right?"

Yami jumped, startled. "I'm fine," he said, a little more harshly than he meant to.

Surprised by the hardness of his brother's tone, Yugi started…and bumped his elbow against the TV remote. He hit the input button, switching the television setting off his game and back to regular television.

"Darn!" The younger boy snatched the remote and his brother sighed, relieved for the distraction…until he saw what was playing.

It was the end of the late television broadcast of his duel, showing flashbacks and slow motions of the end game…of his accident.

"Hey, Yugi…" Yami's heart lurched, knowing what would be announced next…and not wanting his sibling to hear it. "There is an Egypt special on the History Channel tonight. Switch it to that."

"Shhh!"Yugi held his hand out and listened to the announcer. He waved the other men over, "Guys! Listen to this!"

"People everywhere are saying that the 'Daredevil Duelist' is invincible!"

Yugi grinned. "That's because he's awesome!" he punched the air in triumph while Joey, Tristan, and Duke grinned in agreement.

"Lowering the safeguards to unimaginable levels, Yami Mutou cheats death in almost every major duel. Stay tuned for next week's duel, when Yami Mutou duels the well-seasoned Mai Valentine with his safeguard completely shut off! No protection! None! Zip! How will Yami Mutou deal with Mai Valentine and her army of Harpies? How will he deal with the Harpy Ladies' deadly claws with no protection? How will—"

Yugi shut the television off…and slowly turned to stare at his brother. The other guys looked uncomfortable, slinking back to continue their game at a significantly lower volume. Yami couldn't even look his brother in the eye…couldn't stare into those pools of amethyst…and fear. This was why he'd asked him to change the channel earlier…because he knew he wouldn't approve of his next daring duel.

"Yami—" he began, but the youth cut him off with a wave of his hand.

"I will be fine. I always am."

"You're tempting fate, Yami!" Yugi snapped, violet eyes narrowed angrily. "What are you gonna do when your luck finally runs out? When you finally get your butt kicked? You're going to get yourself killed if you—"

"Hey, 'Yuge!" Joey called out with his Brooklyn-accented voice, saving the professional duelist from the ever-approaching lecture. "You wanna play wid us? We could use a forth playa!"

Yugi closed his mouth…but Yami could see his jaw clenching tightly, holding back anger…or perhaps fear. He stared at his brother a moment longer…before getting up and going to join the others at the table.

Yami turned his blood eyes to the window again. He took in everything…the water…the shadows…the slick road…the silhouettes of Domino's buildings grotesquely standing out on the horizon….it looked eerie…and the atmosphere did little to help the foreboding feelings building within Yami's heart. That television announcer was right…he was cheating death. It was as if he had an angel watching out for him…or…

Yami's heart grew cold as his blood eyes remained on the dark landscape.

"An angel…" he whispered, low enough so no one could hear. "Or…maybe it's something else…"

X

Chimera Tavern was in the worst part of Domino City. It was a run down building with a dirty grey exterior, a smudged sign that faintly displayed its name in faded red lettering, windows covered by wood shutters that were rotted from lack of weather proofing, and customers that matched with the dodgy area. It was a place where people went to drink their troubles away, wallowing in the gloom and potential danger of the atmosphere…and the fact that it was nighttime and eerily cloudy did much to enhance the bleak surroundings.

As he walked towards the glum establishment…Bakura, the leading Soul Reaper, could not help but give a half smile that made his fang-like teeth glint in the pale light of the flickering street lamps. This place…seemed made for him. He was, by appearance, a young man who was obviously foreign. He had coffee-colored skin that made it clear he was from somewhere in Africa—Egypt to be precise. His eyes, which were a slivery blue color, were colder than ice, enhanced by a jagged scar running over one of them. White, shaggy hair touched his shoulders and his thin but muscled body was clothed in loose white pants and a red coat that hung all the way down to his ankles, exposing his toned chest. All in all…he was exceedingly handsome at first glance….until one got closer to him.

Bakura…had an aura of coldness and fear that seemed to radiate from his body. He knew people could feel it by the tension he saw in their bodies…the terror that suddenly sprang into their eyes when their gazes fell upon him. He licked his lips at the thought. He relished that terror…he prized the effect he had on people…though Bakura was not sure if he possessed that aura because he was no longer truly human…or simply because of his black heart.

Drawing closer to Chimera Tavern, the Soul Reaper caught sight of a man leaning against one of the rotting posts just outside the doors. He was largely built and muscular, wearing a studded vest jacket, khaki pants, and an American flag over his messy blonde hair. Glasses shaded his eyes, though Bakura could tell by his furrowed eyebrows and clenched fists that he was in a foul mood.

A sparingly-dressed waitress emerged from the bar doors, carrying a single beer bottle in her hand. She handed it to the man…and he snatched it away from her, turning his glowering gaze in her direction. He said something obviously offensive as she scowled and stormed back into her workplace.

Bakura smirked as he drew within a few feet of the tavern's porch. He could sense the man's frustration, his humiliation, his sense of defeat…and for the first time, he recognized him. It was Bandit Keith, a former hotshot duelist. He had been beaten, no….humiliated in his last duel, making him the laughing stock of the entire dueling world. It seemed….he did not know how to cope with such a miserable turn of events…and had come to Chimera Tavern to drink his troubles away. Bakura allowed himself another smirk as he climbed the splintering stairs to the entrance. Mortals and their superficial problems…they were so amusing to observe.

Before the Soul Reaper could enter the tavern, Bandith Keith stood in his path. The man's body was as thick as a boulder….but Bakura was not even remotely fazed.

"Hey…" Keith growled, tilting his head so that his glasses slid down to reveal angry blue eyes. "No one walks by without acknowledging the great Bandit Keith, ya hear me? No one."

The demon stared at him with a mixed look of amusement…and cruelty.

"Really?" Bakura asked in an unwavering tone. His voice was raspy and accented. "Well it seems to me…that the 'great Bandith Keith'…is not so 'great' anymore. If I am not mistaken…you are now considered to be one of the largest jokes of the Duel Monsters industry…am I right?"

Keith's eyes seemed to bulge out of his head. They were filled with shock, anger, and the first signs of reckless drunkenness.

"You watch your mouth, punk!" he snarled. "I may not be a renowned duelist anymore…but I can still pound your scrawny body into the dust, you hear me?"

Bakura merely rolled those silvery blue eyes…and that made the blonde even angrier. He opened his mouth, about to add something else to his threat…when something on the white-haired demon's person caught his eye. Hanging from a thin leather strap around his neck was a large golden ring with a pyramid in its center. An Eye of Horus was carved into the pyramid and several pointers hung around the outer circle of the ring, giving the object an air of intimidation.

Bandit Keith's mouth closed and he stared, transfixed, at the artifact. He cleared his throat. "On second thought, I'll give ya a chance to redeem yourself. Gimme that gold thing you have around you neck…and I'll forget you had the nerve to disregard me. Deal?"

Bakura had to fight off a chuckle. He loved this part. Greedy humans were always hypnotized by his Millennium Ring and its mystical beauty…if only they knew how deadly it truly was.

He raised his snowy eyebrows and said, "If you want it…then reach out and take it."

Keith didn't even seem to care that he had just been given orders by a supposedly "inferior individual." He reached out, eyes wide, hand shaking with desire….and closed his fingers around the pyramid in the ring's center. As soon as the man's skin made contact with the gold…the ring….began to glow.

Keith's eyes grew wide and he tried to yank his hand away…but he couldn't move. The object glowed and crackled and smoke began to rise from the man's hand as it burned. Keith opened his mouth to scream, but all that came out was a kind of strained breath. His face had lost all its color, his body had grown tense…and the green Seal of Orichalcos glowed on his forehead.

Keith moaned for a moment longer….then collapsed onto the dirty wooden porch, his eyes closed, soul consumed….and the Eye of Horus burned into the flesh of his palm.

Bakura looked at the body for a moment, then smirked, stepping over it as if it were nothing more than a log on a wilderness trail. The loss of human life didn't faze him in the least. To him, mortals were creatures to be used…and disposed of when they had served their purpose.

Bakura had no qualms about killing Bandit Keith…just as he would have no qualms…about stealing the souls of the people inside Chimera Tavern.

X

Yami sat on the couch in the living room of the Kame Game shop, doing his best to just…unwind. In spite of the fact that the Mutou boys had made quite a bit of money in their dueling careers, they hadn't updated the room. It housed a cream-colored sofa that had a gold paint stain on one of its arms caused by Yami and Yugi when they were little and trying to build their own Egyptian pyramid. They had replaced the old television, but it sat in the center of the room's main wall just like the last one, facing the couch and doorway leading into the kitchen. The walls were still painted white, the floors carpeted with brown, and a single blue-curtained window looking down over the Domino street. Everything was the same…just as it had been when Solomon was still alive.

Yami felt his heart lurch and turned up the volume on his ipod. It pounded a song called "Monster" by Skillet…eerily appropriate for the fears that had been welling up inside of him. He forced his blood eyes to focus on the television screen which was playing an old episode of Pokemon. He couldn't hear what was going on…but he didn't really care about the show or the music. He just wanted to get his mind off the troubles that haunted his dreams every single night.

Yami sighed and turned to look at the lone window. All he could see was the darkness outside…and his own reflection. He saw a young man dressed in black, belts, and studs whose air of intimidation masked a deep-set fear. His blood-colored eyes were piercing, but haunted by a shadow of gloom…that never truly went away…no matter what he did to distract himself. Those eyes seemed to snap against skin that had grown even paler over the years. Yami did not venture out into the sun much…choosing rather to stand alone in the street on rainy nights, letting the cold water wash over him…as his guilt often did. He couldn't bear to stand in the sun….it reminded him too much…of her…he shook his head and made himself watch Pikachu battling some evolved form of itself called Raichu. He couldn't start thinking about Tea…it was far too painful.

Suddenly, the door leading from the hallway slammed open, making the duelist jump. Yugi walked in, wearing light blue pajamas that were covered in gold stars. The elder brother couldn't help but smile at this…even though his little sibling was twenty-one years old now, he would always be the same sweet guy.

Yami waved to get Yugi's attention. Yugi looked at him, amethyst eyes…narrowed…and the duelist's heart sunk. The boy was still angry at him…but it wasn't the kind of anger that was easily quelled. This anger was one of hurt, fear, confusion…sorrow….Yugi always told his brother that he pulled such daring duel stunts because he wasn't properly recovering from Grandpa's death…and perhaps he was right.

Yugi glared at the elder Mutou a moment longer…then finally sighed, a look of weariness in his eyes. Yami felt his heart drop even lower. He preferred the anger to sadness…he hated seeing his little brother look so old…when he was still so young.

Yugi padded over, his sock feet making no sound on the chestnut carpet, and sat on the couch beside his sibling. He yanked the white earphones off Yami's head, making him jump in surprise.

"Look…" the boy began. "We need to talk."

Yami shook his head and stared at the television again. He knew where this was going…and he could not let it….not when he was so close to forgetting all the doubts and uncertainty for a single night.

"Yami…" Yugi's voice rose slightly and he shot the television a look as if it had offended him. He grabbed the remote off the couch and switched the machine off before turning back to his brother.

Yami glared at him. "Yugi…you touch Skillet or Pokemon one more time and you and I are going to have problems." His voice held genuine irritation…but he knew that it was not at Yugi. He was irritated at himself…because he had been reduced to listening to his ipod on full volume and watching anime to keep his head out of reality…out of the horror of reality.

"Listen to me, brother," Yugi snapped. "You are seriously freaking me out here. You won't confide in me anymore…You're reading all these weird mythology books and torturing yourself with real pain from the lack of safeguards! And now you're—you're turning the safeguards completely off on the anniversary of Grandpa's accident?" His voice and eyes both softened…and grew sad. "Look…I know you miss Grandpa….I miss him too. But you can't keep punishing yourself for his death. It wasn't your fault."

But…it was. If he hadn't made that foolish deal…they would have been able to really enjoy and plan the time they had left with Solomon…they would have made his last days as special and comfortable as they could…instead…his life had been taken…by the very thing that gave his life thrill. How cruel irony could be…

"What are you trying to prove?"

Yami jumped, startled. He had almost forgotten his brother was there. He turned to look at the boy…and caught sight of those violet eyes…the eyes that were exactly like Solomon's. The expression on his young face was similar too—that look Grandpa always got when he wanted someone to admit something. It wasn't quite as piercing as Yami's infamous stare…but it was still powerful. Before he could stop himself, remind himself he wasn't talking to Grandpa, the duelist asked, "Do you believe…that people get second chances?"

Yugi raised his brows. He obviously hadn't expected that response.

"I don't know…why…?"

"I just…I want to know…if a person makes a mistake…a horrible mistake…if it's possible for him to get forgiveness…or if he must live with the repercussions for the rest of his life. I want to prove…that I am willing to do anything to get a second chance. I suppose you could say…that I am looking for a sign."

"What kind of sign?" the younger boy's eyes were focused on him intently.

The duelist shook his head slightly. "I am not sure…but…I believe I will know it when I see it."

Yugi stared at him a moment longer…then sighed and let his gaze soften.

"Just promise me…you'll at least think about ninety-five percent instead of completely off."

Yami nodded and smiled sincerely. "I will consider it," he said.

Yugi smiled, yawned, and got up, heading to bed with an obvious weight lifted from his shoulders. His brother, however, had just stepped into a world of tension. He had broken his own rule…the rule that he wouldn't confide in Yugi anymore…that he wouldn't put the boy in danger by giving him too much information…but then again, he could not bear to keep living the way he was. He hated feeling so alone…as if he were trapped in a void of seclusion and darkness…

Sighing, the duelist switched the television back on and began to channel surf. He flipped through program after program and was about to give up and head to bed himself…when an ad caught his eye. It advertised some play he didn't recognize, listing all the famous stage actors that would be in it…and…the dancers. The main dancer…was Tea Gardner. His breath caught in his throat. It couldn't be his Tea…could it…?

The picture faded in and out, showing a young woman dancing gracefully across the stage. She wore a dress that fit snuggly against her torso and flowed just short enough so that her slender legs were visible. Her skin was like porcelain, her chocolate hair tied into a bun, and her eyes…the color of sapphire.

Yami's heart pounded with excitement, the old passion for her igniting his heart. Of course it was his Tea…he had never met another person with such a passion for dancing. And after all these years…she was finally coming home.

**I hope you liked and please review ^_^! I know that thief king Yami Bakura doesn't wear pants, but I wanted him to look at least a little modern so he wouldn't seem so conspicuous in a modern day setting LOL.**

**I DO NOT OWN YUGIOH, GHOST RIDER, COKA COLA, IPOD, POKEMON, OR SKILLET**


	3. Yami's Sign

**I DO NOT OWN YUGIOH OR GHOST RIDER**

**Chapter three is up ^_^! I've changed a TON from the original movie and shortened a few things so that I could finally get the Revolutionshipping in.**

**Sailorblaze:**

**Bakura in BlackRose's body: This…is…so…bloody…WRONG! I'm a bloody blonde girl!**

**BlackRose in Bakura's body: You think YOU'VE got it bad? I've got five-year-old girls chasing me around everywhere asking to pet the kitty!**

**Marik in DMG: *Hugging a plushy of Pinkie Pie* Oh, come on, it's not THAT bad…**

**Sailorblaze in Magician's Valkyria: *Looks around* Hold on…where's Dartz? Or…where's Dartz in Yami's body?**

**Yami in Dartz: HOLY RA! That freak has run off with my body! *Starts to panic***

**BlackRose in Bakura: Good grief… *phone rings, answers it* Hello?**

**Caller: Is your refrigerator running?**

**BlackRose in Bakura: What are you talking about? I'm in a freakin' fanfiction! I don't have a refrigerator!**

**Caller: Then you had better go catch it!**

**Marik in DMG: Who is it?**

**BlackRose in Bakura: *Rolling eyes* It's Dartz.**

**Yami in Dartz: HEY! Don't you DARE scratch my body you body-stealing son of Anubis!**

**Coka Cookie Cola: Me too…poor angsty bishounen LOL ^_^.**

**Atem's Sister Atea: Thank you ^_^! I was in a panic for a while because I started running out of strategies I know how to use LOL. Yeah…I think Yami needs the recklessness slapped out of him right about now XD. Haha, I love making Bakura scary :). Don't worry, I'm not going to kill Yugi. Something different will happen there ^_^.**

**MutantEnemy6789: Thank you ^_^! I'm having a ton of fun with it :).**

**Aqua girl 007: Thanks :)! I love Skillet ^_^. It always makes me laugh thinking of the Yugioh characters watching Pokemon XD. That line about Dark Magician and Pikachu nearly made me fall off the couch LOLLING XD. I promise, I won't kill the Baby Panda (I adore him too ^_^).**

**Sunrise Phoenix: Thanks ^_^! Of course you may hold Chibi Yami *Hands him to Sunrise Phoenix*.**

**PrincessKisara: Thank you ^_^!**

**Kender20: Thanks ^_^! Poor Yami… the reunion between him and Tea will be a bit awkward…but interesting ^_^.**

**X**

A cruel smirk played on Bakura's lips as he strolled around…what had become of Chimera Tavern. The inside of the establishment…was just as gloomy as the outside. It was filled with a cloud of cold, oppressive darkness. The shadows climbed up the rotting, grey-wood walls, weaving through the wooden tables and chairs, and hovering over the creaking floor. Rusted metal signs hung at crooked angles on the walls while a few lay on the floor, dented as desperate victims grasped onto them in an attempt to escape…but it had been futile.

Bakura heard a rustling and turned around to face the bar. It was a scuffed structure with only a few rusty metal bar stools. Half filled mugs rested on the surface…right in front of their former owners. The customers…were not exactly human anymore. They were now…soulless shells…their skin pale and cold…their eyes closed…parts of their skin…burned with the Eye of Horus brand. Every mortal in the building was dead…all except one.

The demon smirked and deliberately walked back and forth in front of the bar. He knew all too well where she was…the waitress…but he was enjoying himself. He relished the scent of her fear…her unbridled terror. Licking his lips, Bakura deliberately turned his back to the bar…and grinned as the petrified woman slowly stood up.

She crept to the opening of the bar, her entire body shivering from fear and cold, her uncontrolled breathing creating clouds of mist in front of her face. The waitress tiptoed…and stopped when her feet hit a particularly creaky board. Bakura grinned…and slowly, eerily turned around. The woman's face was contorted with nothing short of horror. Her skin was sickly pale in the room of pure darkness.

Bakura's hand shot out and seized her by the neck, lifting her off the ground. Her skin was warm against his frigid fingers and her wide eyes stared unblinkingly into his silvery gems of icy blue.

"Did you honestly think I did not know you where there?" He asked, fully enjoying the fear that radiated from her. "I could smell you terror….could hear the beat of your frantic heart."

The Seal of Orichalcos glowed on his forehead and her eyes went even wider. The woman tried to squirm as the darkness reached up for her, but he was far too strong. She reached out, grabbing his Millennium Ring as a last resort…but only succeeded in branding herself with the Eye's mark. Finally, her body went slack as the soul left it…and he dropped her to the floor.

The Soul Reaper chuckled and tilted his head to one side, listening to the whispers in the wind. He could hear them coming…could sense their impatience.

The rotting boards on the floor began to creak, rattling against each other as their rusted nails seemingly pushed themselves out. Mud and dirt began to ooze out of the separating boards, flowing upward and spiraling like a miniature dirty cyclone. Then…it began to take on a humanoid form. A few moments later, the dirt melted away…to reveal a man. He had a gangly body and long brown hair with a single purple tuft, partially concealed by a faded red skull cap. His eyes were large but the dark iris and pupil were eerily small, making him look as though he was staring at a bright light, even when he was in pure darkness. A dusty green coat covered his shirt, adding a splotch of color to his otherwise dingy appearance.

"Ryuzaki," Bakura greeted and the Soul Reaper merely cracked his neck in response.

"Why are you here?" he said, his voice scratchy like the gravel from which he'd been formed.

Bakura opened his mouth to answer when a swishing sound drew his attention to behind the bar. The water from the dirty sink flowed out of the faucet, swimming and washing over the beer-filled glass mugs before forming into another person. This was a man who wore only dark, ripped pants, his tan, broad chest of muscles exposed. He had dark hair that was spiked upward on top and flowed down his back, intense black eyes, and a scar on his chin. His body was always slicked with water, as if he were merely a piece of the murky depths that had taken on a human form.

"Ryota…"

The water demon did not crack a smile. "What do you want with us?" he said coldly.

Bakura began to pace around the tavern, glancing at both Soul Reapers as he went. "I have come to obtain the contract of Kul Elna that old fool, Ironheart stole from us. You are going to assist me."

The front door blew open and in came…no… in flew the fourth Soul Reaper. This was a man with a scrawny body, green hair, and glasses over squinty eyes. He wore a green kimono with a beetle design on the front. The clothing article had two slits on the back…so that his silver-veined insect wings could break through.

Bakura smirked. "Hello, Haga. Figures you are the last to join us."

The insect demon buzzed through the chairs, knocking over several of the lifeless bodies before landing on the one of the tables in an odd perching position. He cocked his head to one side, his wings twitching with agitation.

"And what will happen if we find it?" Haga asked, his teeth sharp and his voice horrible and screechy like the bug he resembled.

"We will take this world, "Bakura replied coolly, a devilish grin lighting up his features. "With the power of all those souls…the wicked souls of my former village."

Ryota cocked a brow, splaying his wet hands on the table. "What about Dartz?"

Bakura tensed, his blue eyes narrowing furiously. He grasped one of the soulless shell's frigid shoulders and slowly, creepily, turned his head to stare at the water demon. A low, demonic growl resounded from the back of his throat, his skin went horribly pale, and his mouth formed into a jagged gash of teeth beneath eyes of wicked black.

Ryota visibly cringed and bowed his head. In spite of his own possession of powers…he knew far better than to cross the leader of the Soul Reapers.

"Don't…Ever…say…that….name…" Bakura growled, his voice demonic and dripping with venom.

He cracked his neck, making the monstrous expression disappear back into his Egyptian features. "Once we obtain the Treaty, he will be of no concern to us. So…if you are not with me…you are against me." He smiled cruelly and cocked his head to one side. "I really do not think you wish to be against me. So…what shall it be…?"

The other Reapers looked at each other. Then…they turned back to their leader…and nodded, one after the other.

Bakura grinned ever so slowly. This time….he did not bother to force back the demon gash of jagged teeth…that stood in for his mouth.

X

Yami stood outside the Domino City Theater, staring wide-eyed at the awe-inspiring structure. It was a beautiful building a little outside the city with white walls and a slight grey dome on top. The dome had a Roman numeral style clock attached to it, giving the entire building a look of old-fashioned class. Gazing up at the Theater, the duelist felt his palms go damp…and not just because of its beauty. He'd heard that the new actors and dancers were practicing for their next performance here today…which meant Tea Gardner was among them.

Yami had dueled quite recklessly against Mai Valentine that morning, nearly loosing the battle as well as his life at ninety-five percent safeguard shutdown. After the duel was done, Yugi had lectured him about "recklessness" and "keeping his head in the game"…but the duelist found that nearly impossible. His head was at the theater…where the woman he loved was no doubt practicing.

He took a deep breath and cast a fleeting glance at his motorcycle. It was parked near the tamed lawn beneath some neatly-trimmed trees, its metal glinting in the bright sunlight. For a brief moment, the youth thought of leaving…of riding away before he passed the point of no return…but he knew he would never forgive himself if he did not take advantage of the opportunity.

Yami stepped up to the elegant, stain-glass window doorway…and rang the doorbell. The Theater was closed for rehearsal today so he was unable to just waltz in. He glanced at himself in the reflection of a curtain-shrouded window near the door, making sure his appearance was in order. He had dressed a little tamer today, wearing a long-sleeved black shirt, grey vest, and dark jeans. He lacked his usual belts and choker…and found that he somehow felt naked without them…but he wanted to make a good impression.

Footsteps sounded on the other side of the door and the duelist stood erect, ready for anything. The door opened…and there stood a woman he did not recognize. She was one or two years younger than him with long brownish red hair that touched her lower back. She had innocent brown eyes and wore a pink and light orange shirt with blue jean shorts, making her look as if she might be one of the actresses rather than a dancer. Yami cocked his head, feeling as though he'd seen her before….and she certainly recognized him.

The girl's eyes widened. "You're Yami Mutou! The professional duelist!"

"Yes…" he nodded and smiled politely, extending his hand. "And…I feel as though I know you…you are…?"

"Serenity Wheeler," she shook his hand and blushed lightly. "I'm Joey Wheeler's sister."

He grinned. "Ah! You are indeed. You have the same eyes as he does."

Serenity giggled and smiled, shifting shyly from foot to foot. Yami couldn't help but smile at this. In spite of their similarities, it seemed that she and her brother were quite different personality wise. Joey was confident and a tiny bit loud and reckless…while this girl was quiet, shy as a deer.

"So…" Serenity bit her lip nervously. "What brings a celebrity such as yourself to the Domino Theater? You do know it's a rehearsal day…"

He nodded. "Yes, I…I am actually here to see someone. Is Tea Gardner in there by any chance…?"

"Tea? She's in the back practicing. She's one of our main dancers in the next performance."

"Well…may I talk to her…?"

The girl's face grew slightly stressed and she glanced behind her into the interior which he could not see. Yami's heart twisted slightly. Would she not let him in? Was he given this chance to see her again…only to be denied as a cruel twist of fate?

"Well…" she turned back to him…and smiled gently. "I'm not supposed to let anyone in…but I can bring her to out. Stay here. I'll go get her."

With that, she closed the door and skittered away…and he had to repress the urge to shout for joy. This was it…he was finally taking control of his life. He was finally going to step out of the shadow of his fear…and into the light of a potential new beginning.

The footsteps returned and the duelist held his breath. His heart was pounding so hard he was sure his fans could hear it back at the Duel Dome. His body went tense…and the door opened.

Standing there…leaning against the doorway….was the young woman he loved with all his heart. Now twenty-three, Tea still had the slender body of a dancer with even more pronounced curves. She wore a pink tank top and loose-fitting grey shorts. Her chocolate hair was tied into a cute, practical bun with a few strands curling against her porcelain skin…and her sapphire eyes sparkled brightly.

"Y…Yami…?" the young woman murmured. Her expression bore neither joy nor malice…just pure shock. She squeezed the white doorframe so hard that Yami was sure she was going to splinter it.

"Hello, Tea…" he said and smiled gently. He wasn't sure what else to say. What could he say? After all, he'd just left her standing on the hill that day…how on earth was he supposed to come back from that?

Tea stared at him for a moment longer….and smiled. The look made her beautiful eyes glitter even more…and it made his heart pound with excitement.

"You are…even more beautiful than I remembered…" The words slipped from his mouth before he could hold him back and he wanted to kick himself. He might have just blown his already slim chances with her…and that made his heart feel as though it were on the verge of breaking.

However, the dancer giggled and gave him another one of those earth-shattering smiles. The duelist grinned back, feeling as though a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. He had forgotten how much he adored her smile…how it always made him feel as though everything were all right in the world…

"I see you are a big-time dancer now…I'm so glad you're living your dream."

She nodded. "Yeah…I went to some really good schools in my mom's city…and just kinda took off from there."

"How is your family?" Yami asked.

"They're well…Dad doesn't really approve of my returning to Domino…but I'm grown now. There's not a whole lot he can do about it…."

He nodded…and an awkward silence ensued between them. Tea was still standing in the doorway, clutching the frame as if she were standing on a perilous ledge, about to fall off. In a way…Yami supposed she was. She had placed all her faith in him years ago…and he had disappointed her. Now…she was facing him again…it had to be painful for her. He hated himself for that. He would rather her be angry and hate him…than treat him as kindly as ever…and house a deep sorrow.

The girl studied him for a moment before asking, "So…what are you doing here?"

"I wanted to talk. I have not seen you in an eternity."

"Talk? Talk about what?"

Yami sighed and forced his orbs of red to lock with her gems of blue. They stared at him, as if searching for something…and he could see the shadows of hurt within their bright core.

"Tea…" he began. "That day I never came for you…"

The dancer moved sharply, cutting him off. She glanced over her shoulder inside the theater, as if debating whether or not to run for it, then sighed and stepped out onto the porch, closing the door behind her.

"Yami…." Tea looked him straight in the eye and he could see that sadness mixed with her loving kindness. "I get it. You saw a horrible tragedy and you ran. I understand that now just like I understood it then and I don't hold anything against you. It's all in the past. That's why it's called the "past" because it's "passed" it—"

She was rambling…something she only did when she was getting flustered. Tea's cheeks were going pink…and he could sense something radiating from her…a hope…a desire…a vestige of old passion…and it boosted his confidence enough to do something he never planned to do.

"Oh, come here…" Yami grabbed her waist and pulled her against him, pressing his lips against hers. He could feel her tense in surprise…but she soon relaxed…and to his relief, she responded to the kiss. Yami pressed her against the wall, relishing every moment. The kiss was slightly rough as it tore down the awkward barrier that had been standing between them. Finally, Tea broke away and placed her hands on his chest, gently pushing him away from her. Panting, she gave him a scolding look…but he could tell that she had enjoyed it just as much as he had.

Yami grinned with false coyness. "Too much?"

The girl chuckled and crossed her arms over her chest, staring him down with those inescapable azure eyes. It was obvious she wasn't going to answer….the ball was in his court now.

"Listen…" the duelist cleared his throat, feeling the anxiety build up again. "I want to come to your recital."

The brunette gave him a doubtful look. "You don't know anything about dancing or the theater. I'm sure you'd be bored…"

"For years, you came and watched me engage in reckless fight after reckless fight. I know it scared you…that you didn't really like to watch…but you came anyway because you knew how much it meant to me."

Her eyes widened and she dropped her head slightly, letting her bangs fall into her eyes. "Was I…really that obvious…?"

"Just a little…" Yami chuckled and brushed the hair from her face, tilting his head to look at her.

Tea giggled softly and looked up, a slight pinkness coloring her cheeks. It made her even more attractive than she already was.

"All right…" she said. "The recital's tonight at eight o'clock. I'll save you a ticket."

"Yes!" Yami punched the air in triumph. Then, he realized something. "How exactly am I supposed to dress?"

Opening the door to the Theater, Tea leaned her hip against its frame and looked him over. Then, she reached out and lightly tugged on one of his blonde bangs.

"Wear your black and studs…" she said with a playful smile. "I always liked them on you. Don't be late."

With that, the girl stepped inside and shut the door…leaving Yami to walk on thrill-weak legs back to his bike. She said yes….she said yes! Finally…after so much time wandering helplessly in the darkness….he had taken control of his life. He had finally found his sign.

X

Bakura led the other Soul Reapers through a wide pathway that cut through the grass and trees in the Domino City Park. The grounds were darkened by night, lit up only by parallel rows of black lamps. Their light did help to illuminate the darkness…but it could do nothing against the impenetrable coldness that seemed to follow the demons wherever they went.

Suddenly, Bakura halted and glanced around. He sensed another presence…this one burningly frigid…oppressive…powerful. The demon's blue eyes narrowed into slits and his mouth twisted into a ghoulish grin. He knew all too well who was coming…

A swirling portal of shadows opened several yards away from them. It spun and writhed with grotesque images and ebony darkness, slowly rising upward and expanding. The iciness in the air increased, followed by that feeling of blackness and fear…but Bakura was not bothered. He knew the feeling all too well…and he was no longer intimidated by it.

Slowly, a figure emerged from the darkness. It was a man dressed in a lilac business suit with long, blue hair that went all the way down his back. His face was angular, eyes, cold and mismatched, and his hands clutched at a walking stick with a green crystal skull. He smiled at the group, a cruel, chilling smile.

"Hello, boys…" the stranger said in that oddly accented voice that was calm…yet dripping with lethal venom. "It's been quite a while, has it not?"

The other demons grew tense. Haga hovered backward a little ways while Ryota and Ryuzaki kept their eyes averted. They were afraid of him…but their leader had no such problem. Bakura grinned mockingly and gave a false bow.

"Pleasure to see you again, 'Your Highness'," he taunted, enjoying the irritated look on his former boss's face. "But…as much as I would love to stick around and chat…we have work to do."

The stranger's green and gold eyes narrowed into slits, his skin turning a sickly white. His mouth began to stretch backwards, forming into that horrible gorge of glass-like fangs. His calmness was completely gone now, replaced by a powerful and terrifying rage.

"Do not play coy with my, Bakura…" he growled. "I know you are here for the Treaty of Kul Elna. That Treaty belongs to me."

The Soul Reaper folded his coffee-colored hands behind his back, displaying a relaxation that his comrades did not even attempt to feel themselves.

"Technically…we are the ones who obtained that contract so it belongs to us."

The burning rage hovering in the air grew to exponential levels and the man's entire body went rigid, his face taking on a contorted expression that was nothing short of ghastly. He let out an unearthly shriek and the lanterns along the path winked out, as if they were hiding. Vicious claws sprouted from his fingers as did horns from his blue hair, a horrid growl resounding from the back of his throat.

Ryuzaki, Ryota, and Haga all cringed…but their leader was unabashed. He merely raised his hand…and the lanterns slowly flickered back to life, casting their glow on the demon before them. The stranger snarled in pain as the light touched him, his ghoulish features slowly being replaced by his human disguise.

"You cannot harm us here, you fool…" Bakura grinned. "I know how much you hate the light…plus your powers are limited so far away from…Atlantis."

The man scowled. "I will make you suffer for this. I have already found my next Soul Reaper…and I will send him after you."

"A new Reaper?" Bakura raised a mocking brow. "You are unable to get rid of us yourself so you are sending your servant to do the job? How pathetic…"

The stranger growled as the Reaper continued. "Go right ahead…it matters not to me."

The grin on Bakura's face was nothing short of horrid. White teeth were replaced by ghastly fangs…his skin grew pallid…blue eyes became gems of ebony wickedness, gleaming with evil intent.

"Send your precious apprentice…" Bakura growled, his voice laced with a demonic undertone. "I shall dispose of him just as I shall dispose of you….Dartz."

**Cue the ominous music XD. I hope you liked and please review :)! I promise, Yami will turn into his Soul Reaper form next chapter ^_^. His form will be more human than the evil Soul Reapers. Also, I've started thinking I should change the parameters of this story to Horror/Romance instead of Fantasy/Romance. What are your thoughts ^_^?**

**I DO NOT OWN YUGIOH OR GHOST RIDER**


	4. Fear the Reaper

**I DO NOT OWN YUGIOH OR GHOST RIDER**

**Here's chapter four ^_^! Time for Yami to go Soul Reaper :)! For anyone who asked me this, Yami will mostly keep to the shadows and his appearance will just be different enough so that he won't be identified. By the way, at some point in this chapter, I will mention Atlantian symbols in Yami's Soul Reaper form. If you look at the actual Seal of Orichalcos, the circle around the star is hollow, made of two circles instead of a solid line. In between the circles, there are a bunch of little symbols, so those are the ones I'm talking about. **

**Pinkie Pie in Tea: *Trying to eat hay while Marik in DMG and Sailorblaze in Magician's Valkyria hold her back***

**Tea in Pinkie Pie: Don't—don't let her eat hay in my body!**

**Yami in Dartz: *Rocking back and forth and mumbling about his body***

**BlackRose in Bakura: *Patting his shoulder* Don't worry, Yami, we'll get your body back safe and sound.**

**Bakura in BlackRose: Bloody drama pharaoh… *looks at BlackRose* Why don't you just contact Dartz and tell him to get his Atlantian butt back here under threat of painful death by me?**

**BlackRose in Bakura: I can't contact him. He doesn't have a phone and I neither have nor want bloody Facebook.**

**Bakura in BlackRose: Finally someone understands me!**

**Atem's Sister Atea: Haha, yeah…it's like the Millennium World manga where Bakura kills all those guys in the tavern all over again.. **

**Sunrise Phoenix: Thanks ^_^! Haha, yeah I thought Tea would be less likely to hold a grudge than Roxanne :). Unfortunately, Yami won't be able to go to the recital, but they will have a happy ending ^_^. By the way, would you mind watching Chibi Bakura for me ^_^?**

**Aqua girl 007: Thanks ^_^! She's about to get ticked at him LOL ^_^.**

**MutantEnemy6789: Yeah, I decided I'd keep it as Fantasy since there's no gore or anything like that ^_^. **

**Kender20: Thanks ^_^! Unfortunately, Yami will be a little…sidetracked LOL :).**

**Coka Cookie Cola: Haha, yeah I was conflicted about what Tea's reaction should be for a while…but I decided she would probably be forgiving ^_^.**

**VampiressBeauty20: Thanks ^_^! Ghost Rider is my favorite superhero :). Haha, loved the pink-haired vengeance against Dartz XD.**

**X**

Tea sighed as she laced a pair of light blue ballet shoes up her slender legs. It was 7:30 and she was getting ready in the Domino Theater dressing room. She adored this room…it seemed to radiate with the essence of her passion. It was a chamber offstage in a quaint area that revealed the rafters of the theater ceiling. Makeup tables, mirrors, and costume racks rested in methodical chaos, lovingly used by the countless dancers and actors that rushed in and out of the room.

They all seemed to be in a hurry…but Tea took her time. She wanted to make sure she looked orderly and…attractive. She wanted to make it obvious that the pain of losing Yami all those years ago hadn't made its mark on her face…even though it had scarred her heart.

When Yami had shown up on the doorstep, just as darkly handsome as ever…she'd been in shock. The girl had convinced herself she'd never see him again…that he'd…moved on to someone else. She'd hardened her heart at first, trying to convince him…to convince herself…that she was perfectly indifferent to his being there. For a short while, she thought she succeeded…

However, Yami's rough kiss had changed that…the look in those fiery eyes of his had changed that. Those eyes…those swirling pools of blood that always made her heart melt. They were as intense and striking as Tea remembered…though there seemed to be a slight shadow within their crimson depths. It worried her more than she could say.

Sighing again, the girl stood up and took in her reflection in a long mirror. She wore a blue and white dress that fit tightly against her torso and flowed in graceful strips around her slender legs. It had long, gauzy sleeves that made it seem almost fluid whenever she danced. Her chocolate hair was tied into an elegant bun and decorated with silver clips, making her look completely stunning. In spite of this, she felt extremely nervous.

Tea bit her lip and glanced at the clock. 7:40 P.M. stared back at her, making her nerves grow even more. She hoped Yami would come…she hoped he would come…so that she could quell the doubts that lurked within her heart.

X

It was 7:45 P.M. and Yami was still at the Kame Game Shop. He stood in his bedroom, hands splayed on his dresser as he stared at his reflection. He was dressed in a tight black tank top, black jeans, and several studded belts. Egyptian bangles and a few belts clung to his arms while his usual choker took residence at his neck. His hair was slicked into its usual tri-colored spikes, his jaw set in a determined line.

In spite of his excitement, the duelist….was beginning to feel the old vestiges of doubt. A shadow of fear that he couldn't quite explain had fallen on his heart, as if his very soul knew something that he did not…and he had to quench that fear before he went to see Tea again.

Yami narrowed his blood eyes, as if trying to defeat his own reflection.

"You cannot live in fear…" he growled. "You deserve a second chance just like everyone else in this world…you've won duels that no one else could find a way out of…you've proven that you are worthy…you…"

The skin on his face began to tingle suddenly. He frowned, waiting for it to cease…but it only grew worse. Yami yelped and grabbed at his forehead. It was burning with a horrible, freezing fire. Pain shot throughout his skull and he staggered backwards, slamming against a nightstand. Groaning, he braced his hand on the stand and forced himself to look at the mirror again. His blood eyes were blurry…but he made them focus…and immediately wished he hadn't. There…burning on the youth's forehead…was that green seal that haunted his nightmares.

"No…" he croaked, staring in horror at the symbol. Its ring of odd symbols and grotesque star design blazed against his flesh…then slowly faded away…as if it had never been there.

Yami blinked, wondering if he had imagined it…but knowing deep down that he hadn't. That pain hadn't been an illusion…and neither was the awfully familiar coldness and fear settling within his soul. It beckoned to him, reaching out with its heartless fingers…and he had no choice but to follow. He couldn't live in fear…he had to figure out what was going on.

The duelist followed the trail of dark oppression downstairs and out of the Game Shop. It was even more powerful out here. Yami's blood eyes flicked around, taking in everything around him. The street was dark, lit only by flickering street lamps and a few illuminated windows in the buildings several yards down the street. The late night sky was cloudy, shrouding the moon with a veil of dusky fluff. Silvery mist hung over the road and the air seemed heavier than usual…as well as frigid. Yami's breath was coming out in visible clouds of short gasps, his heart pounding.

"Yami…." His name danced on the wind, making his blood go cold. Something was out there…something was after him.

He cast one more look around…and froze when his eyes landed on something familiar. There…silhouetted in the bleak darkness on the sidewalk…was his motorcycle. It rested there, seemingly innocent and inanimate…but the duelist knew better. He didn't park it there…he never parked it there for fear of it being stolen.

Yami approached the machine and ran a cautious hand over its sleek black metal. Perhaps it was the poor lighting…but the decal flames almost looked…alive. The engine hummed and he jumped in surprise. The bike had been turned on….yet no one had stolen it. That didn't make any sense…unless…it was just a distraction to get him to come outside…

The youth's heart lurched…he could feel another presence standing a few feet behind him…a sinister presence…a familiar presence. He slowly turned around….and raised his finger to point, just as he had those five years ago.

"You…." Yami hissed as his venomous gaze fell upon the stranger.

He stood there, looking no different. He wore the same clothes with the same long blue hair and those unforgettable arctic eyes of green and gold. He still clutched that green skull cane in his pale hands, a cruel smirk on his sharp features.

"Hello, my child…" he grinned, that accented voice sending shivers down the duelist's spine.

"I am not your child…" Yami growled, his entire body rigid with unconditional rage. "Stay away from me."

The stranger grinned and casually strolled up to him. "Now, now…is that any way to treat your biggest fan? Besides…I've been here with you all along. I was there for all of your duels…Yako…Ryo…Mai…"

The youth's heart skipped a beat and his knees nearly buckled beneath him. He turned sharply, placing both his hands on the growling motorcycle to keep his balance. All this time…he thought he'd been avoiding the being who haunted his nightmares…he sacrificed so much time with his loved ones…only to learn that none of it had done any good.

"So it was you…keeping me alive…making sure I won every duel…"

"I kept you alive…" the man's voice was growing closer but Yami didn't turn. He felt as though he was frozen on the spot. "But the skill was all yours…you are the best after all…"

A pair of hands clamped painfully onto Yami's shoulders. He cringed as the stranger leaned in to whisper in his ear.

"The posters…the products…the throngs of thrilled people chanting your name…" The man's breath was frigid against Yami's skin as it took on a horrifying connotation. "Yami….Yami….I am so very proud. You are like…an investment. I've watched you grow in power and skill, becoming stronger and stronger…I've waited for the right opportunity…and that moment is finally here. You are to find the being known as Bakura. Find him…and his lackeys…and destroy them."

"Find him yourself…" the duelist replied, climbing onto his bike. He wrapped his fingers around the handles and was about to ride off…but found that…he could not. He pulled frantically…but his hands wouldn't let go of the bars…his feet wouldn't move.

The villain grinned, obviously enjoying his slave's panic. "I told you I would come back for you. We made a deal."

"Yeah?" Yami snapped, pretending a biting sarcasm he was far too terrified to feel. "Well I couldn't care LESS. You didn't fulfill your end of the bargain and I have no intention of fulfilling mine."

"You do not have a choice."

Yami's fiery eyes locked with those of his enemy. The stranger grinned at him cruelly….raised his cane…and slammed it into the asphalt. A wave of green energy pulsated through the earth, rippling through the motorcycle and making it roar. The duelist gasped in alarm but he could neither leap off the machine nor clutch it tighter. He was helpless…he couldn't move.

The stranger stepped closer and raised his hand, palm up. The air above it swirled and crackled with dark energy for a moment….and a shape materialized. It was a golden pyramid that seemed to be made of many pieces. It hung on a thick chain, the Eye of Horus staring eerily at the duelist.

"This is for you…" the stranger smirked and hung the pendant around Yami's neck. "The Millennium Puzzle. It has certain powers you will need to take on Bakura."

The youth snarled. "I told you I'm not going after anyone, you son of a—" his curse was cut off by a searing pain skittering through his body. That cursed energy was taking over…and there was very little he could do to stop it. The stranger grinned with heartless amusement.

"Find my former apprentices…" the man ordered, stepping back into the shadows. "Kill them…and I will return your soul."

With that, he disappeared and the motorcycle took off in a blaze of green flames…taking Yami with it.

X

Bakura swore as he led the other Reapers, cursing modern day technology. They were in some sort of warehouse in a rather dodgy area of town. It was a large, rusted metal building surrounded by broken down cars, machines, and even a few train cars. A fine layer of grey dust settled over everything, making it seem even more foreboding than it already was at night.

Bakura halted, his blue eyes drinking in every tarnished and dented piece of machinery…and his frustration grew to even greater levels. He had tracked Ironheart several years ago, determining that he was working at a graveyard that had been at this very site…but it seemed the old man was even more cunning than he remembered.

"Hey!"

All four demons turned to see a man stepping out of the open warehouse doors. He was heavyset, wearing a dirty pair of overalls and clutching a squeaky lantern in his sweaty hands.

"You can't come here!" he scolded, walking towards the group. "This place is…"

The man froze as he stepped within a few feet of the Soul Reapers. His face went sickly pallid with fear, eyes wide as a cold sweat broke out over his body. He was obviously feeling the frigid aura of horror that radiated from the demons.

"Private property…" the man croaked, his voice constricted.

Bakura smirked in amusement and his comrades did the same. Ryota, Ryuzaki, and Haga began to circle the poor man like starved tigers, Haga having folded his wings down his back so that they simply looked like part of his clothing, while their leader stepped forward.

"There used to be a graveyard here."

The man visibly swallowed and nodded. "Yeah…but they moved it quite some time ago."

Bakura licked his lips, fighting at his own instincts. This man's fear was so raw…so powerful…that he had to struggle to hold back his beastly form.

"Where was it moved?" he growled, feeling his teeth begin to sharpen.

"I-I don't know…" the victim glanced around, taking in the Reapers as they circled him.

Haga and Ryuzaki gave low, gravelly chuckles, their eyes gleaming with evil intent, while Ryota grinned with sinister anticipation. Their instincts were growing primal as well…Bakura had to speed up this interrogation.

"Who would know?"

The man whipped back to look at him, as if he'd forgotten he was there. "Oh…um….I guess Maximillion Pegasus. He ordered it moved to a nicer area of Domino. I think his wife's grave was here or somethin'…"

Bakura cracked his neck, not caring that his eyes were turning their ghoulish black as his teeth sprouted into fangs.

"Where is this 'Pegasus'?" he demanded in a growl-laced sneer.

The man's face was now sheet white with unbridled terror. He stepped backwards…only to ram his back into Ryota's hard chest. The water Reaper's skin was now rough with a fine layer of dark scales, his eyes a grotesque solid navy. He grinned, showing a mouthful of razor teeth, and clamped his hands on the man's arms so that he could not run.

"He lives in California as the president of Industrial Illusions, but he's currently visiting Domino City!" the victim cried. "He can usually be found at the Kaiba Corporation Headquarters! He's been trying to take over that company for years and spends most of his time there, haggling with its current president! Please, let me go!"

"Your body can go…" the leader grinned sadistically. "But your soul belongs to me!"

Bakura curled his dark fingers around his Millennium Ring and slammed it onto the man's forehead. The poor man opened his mouth to howl….but was immediately silenced as the Seal of Orichalcos appeared around him. It covered his body in a wicked glow of emerald light….before vanishing, taking his soul with it.

Ryota released the soulless shell's arms, smirking as it slumped to the ground. Bakura grinned down at the Eye of Horus brand on its forehead. The mark was no more than a simple brand….but Bakura relished seeing it. He enjoyed marking his victims, taunting Dartz with the fact that those souls belonged to his "servants" rather than him.

He started to walk away….and froze. There was another presence rapidly approaching, one he did not recognize…but that blazed with a familiar power.

"Dartz's new puppet…" Bakura growled. "He is coming…."

X

Yami yelled as the motorcycle crashed through the doors of a large warehouse. The place was lit with rather pale ceiling bulbs and filled with rusted metal, dangerous machines of various kinds, and a plethora of chains lying everywhere, a few hanging from the ceiling. The possessed bike had brought him here after blazing through the city streets, setting more than a few cars on fire and leaving a glowing trail of green flames in its wake. He had no control over it….and he had no control over himself.

The motorcycle squealed to a stop and sent the duelist flying. He skidded across the hard, unforgiving floor and slammed into a pile of metal piping. That mysterious pyramid pendant jammed into his ribs and he was sure he would have a bruise…but he did not feel the pain. He was far too distracted by the wave of agony spreading throughout the rest of his body.

Groaning, Yami stood up and took a few shaky steps forwards, clawing at his head with whitening fingers. There was a burning unlike anything he'd ever experienced that originated at his forehead and spread white-hot pain throughout his entire skull. The pain spiraled down to his jaw, making his teeth ache.

The burning moved from the youth's head down to his shoulders and Yami let out a tortured scream. He felt as though flames were dancing along his bare shoulders, cascading down his arms while a burning metal brand seared into his back. In spite of his tank top covering his shoulder blades, it was as if the bare skin was exposed and vulnerable.

Yami gave a strangled gasp and stumbled, still clutching at his head. He tried to open his eyes…but saw only green light. Another howl wrenched from his throat as the pain grew even more intense. He could feel it moving over his forehead in a circular motion, followed by a jagged change in direction. A similar motion was taking place over his back and along his arms.

Slowly, almost imperceptibly, the bodily agony began to fade…and was replaced by emotional chaos. Yami felt a raw anger that was almost primal flaring within his heart. This rage was matched only by a thirst for vengeance, the inescapable desire to hunt down those with souls of wickedness…and destroy them. The emotions were staggering….but they sent a wave of thrill and adrenaline throughout his strained body.

Finally….everything stopped, leaving the duelist standing still, shoulders heaving with laborious breaths. He felt different now…raw….primal…hungry for the souls of the evil. He looked at a shiny sheet of metal leaning against one of the iron support beams…and took in his new form.

Yami had the same hair style, save for a few more spikes, and the same slim, toned body….but other than that, he was unrecognizable. His skin was so white that it was almost grey and icy cold to the touch. On his forehead, burned that glowing green seal, its emerald fire seeming to reflect the flames within his heart. He had another larger seal on his back, glowing through his ebony shirt, and small Atlantian symbols ran the length of his arms all the way up to his shoulders. His hair was an even darker black, tipped with red the color of fresh blood. The blonde bangs had paled so that they were almost white, hanging over crimson eyes that actually glowed against their ebony lashes.

Yami looked up….and his lips slowly twisted into a grin. That grin…which had once been more of a cocky smirk…was now dark and terrifying. His incisors had sharpened into vampiric fangs, giving him an overall look of deadliness. A laugh rippled from his throat…and it was filled with a growling undertone.

He was no longer just Yami Mutou, professional duelist…he was now a Soul Reaper….and he could sense his prey in the vicinity.

Cracking his neck, Yami stepped out of the warehouse into a dark outer area that was filled with damaged vehicles and machines. His glowing eyes wandered over each piece of corroded machinery, seeing nothing…but he could still sense his targets' presence in the air.

A raspy laugh echoed throughout the shadowed area…and a figure emerged from the darkness. It was a man with Egyptian skin, white hair, and piercing blue eyes. He wore a red robe and white trousers…as well as a golden ring that looked much like the Millennium Puzzle around his neck. This man…was Bakrua…or so the duelist's newfound instincts told him.

Bakura let out another ghoulish laugh. "Are you looking for someone?" he asked tauntingly.

"Time for…oblivion," Yami grinned, displaying those glinting white fangs. The clouds in the night sky had dissipated, revealing the moon…and casting a silvery glow over the new Reaper that only enhanced his dark appearance.

"Now, is that any way to treat a fellow Soul Reaper?" the villain said with mock hurt.

In response, Yami took off his Puzzle and pulled the chain taut, allowing the green flames to dance along the metal. The Eye of Horus glowed in its center, displaying its mysterious power.

"I shall destroy you."

Bakura grinned and eerily tilted his head to one side. "I do not think so…" he said….right as another demon lunged out of nowhere.

This one seemed to be part insect with gauzy wings and sharp, pincer-like teeth. He slammed into the duelist, knocking him into a pile of chains on the ground where he lay…very still.

Bakura let out another mocking laugh….and Yami grinned. He leapt back to his feet and grabbed one of the longer chains, fastening it to the chain loop of his pendant. Bakura's smile…shrank back a few fangs.

The Soul Reaper started forward again, stepping in a puddle of water...and freezing. His leg…was stuck. He looked down and saw scaly claws wrapped around his ankle as well as a snarling demon face. The youth looked up…right as the grill of a large tractor trailer slammed him against a brick wall. It seemed one of Bakura's cronies had taken it for a joy ride, crashing it into their assassin in hopes of killing him….they would not be so lucky.

Body enhanced with supernatural resilience, Yami shrank down beneath the brick and metal, climbing underneath the giant vehicle.

"He wasn't so tough after all…" one of his quarries chortled and that only made his ghoulish smirk grow.

He crawled spider-like over the dusty ground, relishing the shadows as they fed his power. Then, he rolled out from underneath the trailer…and crept up behind the man who'd crashed into him. It was a Reaper with long hair of brown and purple, wearing a dingy red skull cap and green coat. Yami tapped him on the shoulder…waited for him to turn…and slugged him in the jaw with a powerful, pale fist.

The man went flying, slamming onto the ground and very slowly turning to face his attacker. His face was crumbling like dirt, giving Yami the knowledge that he drew his power from the earth. He could probably be pretty intimidating…but not at the moment.

Right now, the demon's eyes were wide with terror and he flinched every step his assassin took that brought him closer to his demise.

"Have mercy…" he croaked.

Yami merely smirked and shook his head, snapping his crackling chain tight again. "Sorry….but I seem to be out of mercy."

The duelist swung his green fiery chain in the air, the Millennium Puzzle attached to the end of it. He then thrust it at the villain…and grinned as it wrapped around him like a metal snake.

The Reaper screamed in agony as the Puzzle began to glow…and his body began to crumble into ash. He tried to squirm…but the chain was wrapped around him too tightly.

"Help me!" he screamed….but Bakura and the other two demons had vanished, leaving their comrade for dead.

Yami let out a ghoulish laugh and pulled the metal even tighter. The earth demon's body began to turn grey, deteriorating as he howled…and finally….he fell apart, disintegrating into a pile of dark ash on the dirt ground.

Yami smirked and placed the pendant back around his neck. He gave the rest of the chain a mighty swing and let it wrap around his black-clad chest, then went over to his bike.

The motorcycle looked the same as it always did….he would have to change that. The Soul Reaper splayed his hands over the metal and gave an unearthly growl, letting the green energy wash over his metal steed. The bike morphed and changed, just as its rider had. Its flame-emblazoned, black metal went completely dark and the front molded into the shape of a skull. Emerald flames danced over the wheels, making the machine perfect for its owner.

Smirking in ghoulish satisfaction, Yami mounted the vehicle and took off, set on one, simple quest….Vengeance.

X

Yami rode around for several hours, keeping to the dark alleys and dodgy back areas of the city. He didn't want a ton of attention…but his thirst for revenge was beginning to fester. His blood eyes flicked over his surroundings, searching for any sign of trouble. This area of town was filled with shadows, graffiti, and treacherous back alleys…practically a crime breeding ground.

He snorted in irritation and was about to leave….when a terrified scream caught his attention.

"Help!" a woman's voice shrieked. "Help me!"

Yami growled, dismounted his bike, and set off in the direction of the voice. Following the auras of fear and greed, he eventually came upon a woman being mugged. The perpetrator had white hair that stuck up in thin spikes on top, hanging down over his shoulders, and wore black shirt with a scorpion design. He had a knife to his victim's neck as he swore and tried to pull her purse away from her.

Yami let out an unearthly snarl and stalked towards the thief. Both people stared at him in shock and Yami gave a slight movement with his head, urging the girl to get away. She looked at him…then at the mugger…then back at him.

"Thanks…" she said and ran off as fast as she could.

The wicked man pressed his back against the brick wall, his face contorted with a terror that pleased the Reaper. The fear radiated from him with each gasping breath, engulfing him with a power that rivaled even that of his sense of greed and cruelty.

Yami lunged forward and grabbed the man's collar, lifting him off his feet and slamming him against the brick.

"You…." He growled, blood eyes locked on his victim's. "Your soul is tainted with impenetrable darkness."

The thief lifted the knife he'd had against the woman's neck and slashed at his captor's arm. It hurt a little….but Yami ignored it, smirking in amusement at the man's face when his blade came away, melting with green fire.

"You do not deserve to be a part of this world…" he continued, thoroughly enjoying the villain's terror. "Your soul…is mine."

The mugger's eyes widened in horror as Yami bared his fangs. His white fingers burned icy cold against the man's neck…but he didn't react to it. His eyes were focused on the hypnotic pools of blood piercing through his soul. A seal appeared on the villain's forehead…and his petrified expression…went blank. His soul left him…and the Reaper dropped his lifeless shell to the ground.

Yami grinned and let out a multi-toned laugh of satisfaction. His thirst for vengeance had been quenched….if only for the moment.

**Tea's gonna be so ticked off LOL…I hope you liked and please review ^_^! The function of the Millennium Puzzle and Ring will be explained next chapter ^_^.**

**I DO NOT OWN YUGIOH OR GHOST RIDER**


	5. Cryptic Answers

**I DO NOT OWN YUGIOH OR GHOST RIDER**

**Chapter five is up ^_^!**

**Sailorblaze:**

**Bakura in BlackRose: *turns into Psycho Bakura in BlackRose* Magician's Valkyria shall pay!**

**Sailorblaze in Magician's Valkyria: Ahh! Not me! *Points at Magicians V in Sailorblaze* She's there! She's in my body!**

**Magician's V in Sailorblaze: I don't have any idea what you're talking about *slinks away***

**Marik in DMG: Wow…didn't see that coming.**

**Sailorblaze in Magician's V: Traitor! *Runs away from Psycho Bakura in BlackRose***

**BlackRose in Bakura: Hey! Don't mess up my body! Bakura! *Looks at Yami in Dartz who has his fingers pressed to his temples while he frowns in concentration* What are you doing?**

**Yami in Dartz: I'm trying to use the force to locate my body…**

**BlackRose in Bakura: I never should have gotten you hooked on Star Wars… *Reaches for a cupcake***

**Pinkie Pie in Tea: *Smacks BlackRose in Bakura's hand away and growls* MY PRECIOUS!**

**Tea in Pinkie Pie: Okay then…**

**Vampiressbeauty20: Haha, Dartz is so fun to torture LOL ^_^.**

**MutantEnemy6789: Haha, yeah I thought it was similar to Nightmare ^_^.**

**Aqua girl 007: Thanks ^_^! Yeah, they are pretty distinctive :).**

**Atem's Sister Atea: Thanks :)! Yeah, I think he was eating in a tavern and was wearing all the gold he stole from Aknamkanon's tomb. The other men in the tavern came up and were going to rob him, so he killed all of them. Yes you may slap Dartz (slap him for me as well if you don't mind ^_^). The souls won't be returned the people, rather Bakura is absorbing them to preserve his shadow power. The mugger was a guy from the Season 0 Manga named Nagumo. He messed with Yami and got Shadow Gamed in the end XD. **

**Sunrise Phoenix: Thanks ^_^! I've got my hands full with Chibi Yami Marik and Chibi Hikari Marik. *Standing between Chibi Y Marik and Chibi H Marik* Break it up, you too!**

**Chibi H Marik: He started it! He's crazy!**

**Chibi Y Marik: I just wanted a hug!**

**BlackRose: If you two don't stop fighting I won't make you Christmas cookies this year!**

**Both freeze and give the large, teary Chibi eyes: We're sorry! We'll be good!**

**BlackRose: All right then…*Picks up Chibi Ryo and hugs him***

**Sorry, I forgot to answer your question about Kris and Skye *facepalms*. Yes, I am going to include them ^_^.**

**Princesskisara: She does still have feelings for him, but she is feeling a bit doubtful as to whether or not he truly still loves her :). Yami will have to learn how to control his power and Tea may have trouble believing him (seeing as he broke her heart in the past) ^_^.**

**X**

The Soul Reaper power was wearing off. Yami could feel it, both in mind and in body. The sun was beginning to rise as he rode his bike towards the graveyard where Solomon was buried. He wasn't exactly sure why he was going there…it felt as if something or…someone was calling out to him.

The landscape was beautiful in this area. It had only a simple dirt road surrounded by trees, the rest untouched by overly modern establishments. The light green grass was dotted with tombstones, some simple grey slabs, others, large, elegant mausoleums. The graves stretched out for at least a mile, interrupted only by the large, vintage church building. It was a stunning structure, silhouetted against the slowly rising sun, its stain glass windows sparkling with the bands of light.

The duelist did not have much time to take in the amazing scenery however. Pulling up to park at the road's edge, he literally fell off his motorcycle onto the ground. He was in agony all over again. He let out a scream as the magic began to absorb back into his soul, burning his flesh just as it had before. The emerald symbols faded, disappearing as if they'd never been there. The eerie glow left his blood eyes, and his hair and skin returned to their natural color. His fangs receded too, sending shooting pain throughout his jaw and skull. Even his emotions calmed, the fiery sense of justice replaced by a drained feeling of exhaustion.

When the transformation was complete, Yami began to crawl forward on the ground. He could feel all the aches and pains from the night before….the slash in his arm from the mugger's knife…the nasty bruise from the Millennium Puzzle stabbing into his ribs…the various scrapes from being hit by a tractor trailer…they were all coming back to him now, along with an intense fatigue.

The youth continued to pull himself forward…and finally collapsed in front of one, particular tombstone. "Solomon Mutou, beloved grandfather" was printed on the grey slab…and that somehow gave him comfort. He longed to have Grandpa's gentle arm around his shoulder…to hear his calm voice telling him everything was all right…but that was impossible. All he could do…was fall onto the earth where Solomon was buried…and wish with all his heart for that old, missed consolation.

Yami lay on the ground, feeling the cold dew from the grass…and not caring a bit. His breath was coming in uncontrolled gusts, sending pain throughout his body whenever he gasped too hard. His mind reeled…what would Yugi think about this? What would Tea think? Tea…he had promised her he wouldn't be late for her recital…and he'd broken that promise….just as he broke the promise he made those five years ago.

Soft footsteps padding across the grass caught Yami's attention…but he couldn't lift his head to investigate. He felt as though an anvil had been dropped onto his skull, and moving only made the migraine worse. Something cold and wet touched his cheek and he opened his eyes. The sun shone in them, making it hard to see…but he could make out two forms. One was a dog…or perhaps a grey-coated wolf, sniffing gently at his face…and the other was a young girl. She looked around eight, with chestnut hair tied into two braids, a sunhat, and a dress of various reds, browns, and pinks.

The girl smiled at him…and that smile gave the duelist a colossal amount of comfort. It gave him the reassurance that he would be safe here…that he would be taken care of….that everything was all right for the moment…

Yami gave a feeble smile back. Then…he closed his eyes…and let the world of unconsciousness claim him.

X

Yami opened his crimson eyes…and immediately wished he hadn't. He felt as though someone was driving a red-hot poker through his skull. His entire body throbbed and he started to close his eyes again…when his groggy brain realized something. He wasn't lying on the grass anymore.

The duelist sat up so fast that he nearly passed out again. He kneaded his forehead with weary fingers, willing the world to stop spinning. It was then that Yami realized his entire being was alternately too hot and too cold. One moment, he felt like he was on fire and the next he was shaking violently, his frigidness made even worse by the sweat that slicked his form. Currently, he found himself in a wave of cold.

Shivering, Yami looked around…and sighted a small table sitting next to the cot he was lying on. It had a mug of something…something steaming. He grabbed it, relishing the warmth against his icy fingers, and drank. The liquid, some kind of rejuvenating tea, felt like silk running down his throat, taking away the chill and seeming to fight off the wave of heat that would have no doubt followed. It even took some of the edge from his headache, making him feel, as before, that an anvil had been dropped on his head rather than having a poker driven through his skull.

After draining the mug, Yami finally took a look at his surroundings. He was in a side room of the church, resting on a cot that lay in front of a stain glass window. The room was simple, holding only the bed and a single, wooden chair. The walls were dark wood with a few high windows that allowed light to enter the room. The duelist wasn't even sure if the building even had electricity as it seemed to take every advantage of the natural light.

Yami sighed and forced himself to get up. His legs immediately buckled beneath him and he slumped to the wood floor, cursing softly.

"Oh! Are you okay?"

The youth looked up and saw…the little girl from before. She stood there, along with the seemingly domesticated wolf, her large brown eyes filled with concern. The wolf gave a small bark and ran towards him. Yami instinctively tensed, pressing his back against the cot and closing his eyes…but the bite never came. Instead, the canine leapt, placing both her paws on his chest, and knocking him down to the ground so that she could lick him relentlessly. He tried to push her off, but she only whined and continued her onslaught of wet kisses.

"Skye!" the little girl laughed and came forward. She gently grasped the wolf by the fold of skin all canines have at the back of their necks, and eased her backwards, away from the frazzled duelist. The dog called "Skye" whined, but obeyed, giving her owner a big lick before trotting through the open door into another part of the church.

"Sorry about that…" the child smiled sweetly and helped Yami to stand up. She was about as tall as his breastbone, and had a doll-like cuteness to her round face. "You can call me Kris. What's your name?"

Yami swayed slightly and she grabbed his waist, helping him to stay steady. He smiled at her gratefully, though he was horribly embarrassed.

"I am Yami Mutou. Thank you for helping me…"

Kris beamed. "No problem…you're pretty banged up…" She gestured up and down at his body and he grimaced. The youth knew he looked like a wreck of scrapes and bruises, even though his clothes were seemingly unscathed.

"Well…." The duelist started towards the door. "I should probably get out of your hair now… Thanks again for your kindness."

"Last night did happen you know…"

The girl's cryptic words froze Yami in his tracks. He turned and stared at her. Her previously cheery eyes were now somber…and filled with a wisdom that didn't seem right for her age.

"It happened…" Kris continued, walking up to him. "And…it'll happen again."

Yami opened his mouth to ask her what on earth was going on, but she slipped her hand into his, cutting him off.

"Come on," she said. "My grandfather, the groundskeeper, wants to talk with you."

Yami sighed…but allowed himself to be dragged out of the church. He didn't know what mess he'd gotten himself into….but Kris and her mysterious grandfather had taken care of him. He owed them the courtesy of at least introducing himself.

X

The church grounds were simply picturesque. Now that Yami was mostly awake, he found himself experiencing a boost of confidence in choosing this place to bury his grandfather. The lack of industrialization and abundance of nature made it a much more suitable sanctuary than the graves in the city would have. Still…he couldn't help but wonder how anyone could find their way around this place. There were so many stone structures of grey, black, and white that it was almost like…a labyrinth.

Kris, however, seemed to know exactly where she was going. She led him through the plethora of stone until they finally came to a clearing with only a few graves.

Standing in front of one of the stones…was an old man. Dressed in a long brown robe, he had grey hair that touched his shoulders and an aged face which was gentle…yet had the ability of being hard. His black eyes shone with an uncanny wisdom and he clutched a long, wooden walking stick…though he didn't really seem to need it. The man turned when he heard the two approaching and smiled cordially.

Drawing closer, Yami saw the name on the gravestone he'd been staring at. "Ironheart, may his warrior's spirit rest in peace." The duelist thought "Ironheart" to be a rather strange name…but he didn't comment on it.

"How are you feeling?" the old man asked. His voice was low and powerful.

"I'm all right…" Yami smiled and crossed his arms over his chest. "I feel like my skull is on fire, but I'm sure I'll be okay. Thank you for caring for me."

The old man smiled. The expression added more wrinkles to his face.

"Do not worry…the headache is usually a first-time experience. It will not happen the next time you transform."

The duelist's heart's skipped a beat. So this old man knew what had happened….what did that mean exactly? Was he some kind of odd fantasy fanatic? Or…did his involvement go far deeper than that? Yami decided he would skirt the comment and play dumb.

"I do not suppose you have seen my motorcycle around here…" he said, biting his lip.

The groundskeeper inclined his head in the direction of a dilapidated, brown shack a few yards away.

"It is in that shed…and yes, it looks normal."

Yami clenched his jaw. So he even knew about the bike…just how much had this person seen?

"Who are you?"

The man grinned. "The question is….who are you?"

The duelist scowled and turned, walking towards the shed with his bike. The last thing he needed was another cryptic stranger in his life. The old man persisted.

"Look, kid…you cannot run from this. You are the newest Soul Reaper. You need to hear me out."

Yami didn't stop, shaking his head without turning around. "Yeah? Well…the last time I trusted a stranger, it did not work out so well for me." The bitterness in his own voice surprised him.

"You cannot hide from this fate. You ensured that the day you took The Test."

Yami froze…and slowly turned around. The groundskeeper was standing there, staring at him with a firmness in those black, intelligent eyes. He definitely had a story to tell…and there was truly no harm in hearing him out. Sighing, the duelist gave a slight nod…and the old man grinned.

"Congratulations…" he said. "Your chances of survival just went from none to slim. Come on inside, I'll tend to those nasty wounds of yours."

X

Tea sighed as she sprawled on the large, plush bed in her hotel room, a tub of chocolate ice cream on her lap. She's come home last night, too tired and depressed to do anything but fall on the bed and into a coma. She hadn't even taken the time to cry about the fact that Yami stood her up yet again…she'd saved that luxury for this morning, as she curled up in the warm blankets with her ice cream and watched pointless soap operas.

The sadness was starting to where off, however…replaced by anger…although the girl wasn't sure who she was angrier at—Yami or herself. She should have known he hadn't changed…should've known how flaky he was…perhaps…after all those bitter feuds with her father and nights sneaking out of the house…he had been right all along. Tea sighed and set the ice cream on her nightstand, squeezing a too-fat pillow to her chest. She hated thinking that way about someone she cared about…but the anger felt so much better than the grief…that it was hard to deny herself the comfort of letting it take over.

The brunette glanced around her suite. It was a luxurious place with a full kitchen, bathroom, and TV area. The walls were done in calming tans and the floor was carpeted with crimson…but they did little to calm her. She wished there was a hook of some sort attached to the ceiling so that she could bring in her miniature punching bag and take out her frustration on it. Of course…if she did that…she'd have to look at the carpet…the carpet that matched the color of Yami's hypnotic eyes.

Tea groaned and began to channel surf. She wished she could do something, anything that was Yami-free…but she could think of nothing. That was just the way it was….when you truly loved someone…

Finally, the girl stopped on the news channel. It was covering a murder at some warehouse in a rather dodgy section of town. Crime scene techs and detectives swarmed all over the run-down scene while traffic cops struggled to hold back journalists and gawkers. They were all exceedingly stressed, the reporter was saying…and there appeared to be something rather strange about the murder victim, the midnight caretaker of the warehouse. There was a rumored connection between this killing and the Chimera Tavern massacre…though the police would not divulge what that connection was.

Tea's eyes narrowed in deep concentration. Something strange was going on in Domino City…and she hoped the investigators would be able to figure it out.

X

"Sterilize this for me…" the groundskeeper handed Yami a hooked needle, dangling it by its nearly translucent thread.

They were in a dimly-lit room that was a bit larger than the one in which Yami had woken up. It had the same dark wood walls and stain glass windows, but also included bookcases and odd devices the duelist did not recognize. Candles sat all around, giving the old man enough light so that he could stitch the horrid gash on Yami's arm.

Raising a single ebony brow, the youth stretched his hand out toward the needle. "Sterilize…" he muttered and concentrated, expecting the green flames to dance off his fingers…but they did not.

"In the boiling water beside you…" the old man said with more than a little amusement.

"Sorry…" Yami felt his cheeks flush. He took the needle and dropped it into the bowl on a table next to his chair, watching as steam billowed up from it. "I suppose I'm…a little confused…"

He also felt extremely awkward. He was sitting in a hard, wood chair with no shirt on so that all of his wounds were revealed. As he'd expected, his arms and torso had many scrapes as well as the gash on his arm. The youth also had a bandage wrapped around his middle, covering the bruise caused by the Millennium Puzzle that stretched from his waist almost to his toned chest. The Puzzle…he had no idea where it was. He'd have to ask about it at some point.

"You will be normal in the daytime…" the old man announced suddenly, making his patient jump in surprise. "But during your first transformation, you become the Soul Reaper at night. After that, it'll happen whenever you find yourself in the presence of evil. Eventually you'll be able to control it."

Yami gave a humorless chuckle and handed him back the needle. Its metal glinted sharply in the faint candle light, but he didn't care about the unavoidable pain. His brain was reeling far too much…

"So…." He said, pretending a calm he did not feel. "What exactly is a 'Soul Reaper'?"

The groundskeeper didn't answer right away, keeping his black eyes locked on his needlework. Yami winced as it pierced through his skin, but made no move to stop him.

"Have you ever heard of the lost city of Atlantis?"

The duelist was surprised by the question, but he nodded. That had been the last mythological book he'd consulted about his so-called "superstitions"…the only book that had given him any insight whatsoever.

"Ten thousand years ago, Atlantis was a tranquil paradise. The peace and prosperity continued for centuries…until a certain prince, Dartz, usurped the throne. He was cold, heartless, and greedy…but that was only the beginning of the Atlantians' troubles. During the early stages of his reign, a strange green stone fell from the sky. It glowed with some unknown force…a force which soon turned out to be evil. The stone, soon called the Orichalcos, transformed the weak, turning them into horrible beasts without any sanity. The strong, however, could wield its power…though it was still dark. Dartz was able to wield the power but it further corrupted his already twisted mind. It made him a puppet to its own desires. You see, the Orichalcos also has the ability to steal human souls. Those souls can be given to a creature known as the Great Leviathan, a great beast whose sole purpose is to swallow the earth to satiate its ravenous appetite…which is exactly what Dartz planned to do. So…he instigated The Test."

Yami shuddered involuntarily. "So…this 'Dartz' is the stranger who came to me five years ago? But…how can that be?"

"The Orichalcos granted Dartz the gift of eternal life," the man explained. "It knew he would need millennia to collect enough souls to revive the Leviathan…and Dartz knew he would need help. So, he began to hold The Tests, brining in person after person to see if they were strong enough to wield the stone's power. Most weren't and lost their souls…but a few were. Those select few were called 'Soul Reapers', people who work as soul collectors for Dartz. They go after wicked souls, the darker the better."

"So…there have been others with my 'Soul Reaper' problem?"

The groundskeeper nodded. "Five to be exact. You have met the four evil ones. Bakura, Ryuzaki, Ryota, and Haga. They worked for their boss for several millennia…until one fateful mission. At this point in time, the sands of ancient Egypt had been born….as had the village of Kul Elna."

"Kul Elna?" the duelist raised his brows. The name even sounded intimidating.

"Wicked city…with wicked people. It was inhabited by scoundrels, murderers and thieves…and all of them had one thing in common. Greed. Therefore, it was relatively easy to persuade them to sell every soul in the village to the Leviathan in exchange for money and power. The Soul Reapers drew up the Treaty of Kul Elna, promising all those souls to Dartz…but before they could deliver it to him, the fifth known Reaper intervened."

"Who was this fifth Reaper?"

"The former king of Atlantis, Dartz's father Ironheart. He fought off the other Reapers and stole the treaty, retreating to a corner of the earth far away from the evil king's vision. Dartz's apprentices left as well, afraid to return to their master empty-handed. After that, Dartz waited, searching for a new Soul Reaper strong enough to defeat the ones who rebelled against him…as well as hopefully lead him to the Treaty of Kul Elna. After all, all those souls are still trapped there…just waiting to be captured."

"Mmmm…." Yami's blood eyes narrowed at the flame of a flickering candle. He half expected it to turn green…just like the flames that burned across his skin the previous night. A heavy silence fell upon them as the groundskeeper continued sewing his patients gash.

"Quite a cut you've got here…" the man muttered, interrupting the quiet. His eyes squinted, focusing intently on the deep wound. "What happened?"

The duelist furrowed his eyebrows in an effort to remember. The emotions had been so raw…so powerful…that it was hard to recall what had actually transpired. Finally, the memory broke through.

"There was…some punk…" he murmured. "His soul was an abyss of darkness and greed…it was like a putrid scent I could sense a mile away…I grabbed him….and that Seal of Orichalco appeared…it took his soul…and I somehow felt stronger."

The old man grunted. "Yeah…Reapers feed off the souls of the wicked. While they were originally meant to deliver the souls to the Leviathan, they have the ability to absorb the souls themselves. That is precisely what Bakura and the other three are doing."

Yami swallowed hard as another memory hit him. The memory of that earth demon's agonized scream as the green glowing chain and pyramid puzzle broke him into pieces.

"Actually…" he croaked. "There are only…two others now."

The old man raised his brows. "You destroyed one of them?"

Yami nodded.

"Which one?"

"The one who looked like he was made out of mud."

"Ryuzaki…" the groundskeeper spoke more to himself than the new Reaper. "I cannot say I'm surprised. He was the weakest out of all of them. Of course…that is not saying much. As the weakest…Ryuzaki was merely powerful."

"Yeah…." Yami's voice was distant as another question nagged at his brain. "By the way…about that strange pyramid pendant…"

"The Millennium Puzzle," his mentor said without hesitation. "It's in the shed with your bike. It's an object of unique and mysterious power."

"Yes, well…if we 'Soul Reapers' already have so much power...then why do Bakura and I even need these items?"

"Ah…" the old man smiled with a glimmer of what looked like pride. "Observant young man…The Reapers are infused with the power of the Orichalcos, therefore, using that power against each other has no effect. Dartz saw this…and created the Millennium Items as a result. They are the only objects in existence that can kill a Soul Reaper. Supposedly, there are only two—the Ring and the Puzzle…but that is not for certain."

"Is that why Bakura is the leader of the Reapers?" the duelist asked.

He nodded. "The others fear him because he possesses the only thing in existence that can kill them. They don't dare cross him."

Yami sighed and glanced out the window. It was so beautiful outside…the sun shining over the elegant monuments…the gentle breeze blowing through the trees…but in spite of the pleasant weather…there was a sable storm hovering over his heart.

"Lucky me…" the youth mumbled. "Dartz sent me to kill Bakura…:"

The groundskeeper froze. "Bakura? He sent you after Bakura?"

Yami nodded, feeling confused, and the man fell silent. He finished sewing his patient's cut and snipped the thread before handing the boy his black tank top. Yami took it and slipped it back on, cringing as the fabric brushed against his newly stitched wound.

The old man sighed. "Tough luck, kid…because just as your Puzzle can kill Bakura…his Ring can kill you. You should probably hang out here for a while. They cannot walk onto holy ground."

Yami, however, shook his head. "Thank you…" he said, getting to his feet and walking towards the open door. "And thanks for the information. I feel much better knowing that I'm an ancient evil king's soul collector." His last statement was dripping with sarcasm.

"Where are you going?" the old man followed him outside.

"There is someone I have to see…" A very important someone in fact. He had to talk to Tea…to see if she hated him for leaving her…again.

"That's a bad idea."

Yami smirked, walking towards the shed to get his bike. "It would not be my first."

He trudged across the dirt path, latching onto the pain of his injuries so that he wouldn't have to think about all he'd just learned. For years he'd had so many questions he wanted answered…and now that he had the answers, he wished he'd never asked the questions. Again…how cruel irony could be…

"Why did you do it?" the old man's voice made him stop and turn. He was standing by the church door, leaning against his walking stick with a searching expression. "Why did you make the deal?"

The duelist shrugged, acting as if he were nonchalant…but feeling an old vestige of grief settle over him. "I was younger…foolish."

The man tilted his head to one side and inquired, "What did you get in return?"

The youth stared at him for a long moment. He didn't like trusting someone he'd just met with his darkest secrets….but then again, he had no one else to go to. No one else could possibly understand what he was going through. And…he had taken care of him…

"Heartache…" Yami replied…and finally let the sorrow show in his blood eyes.

Something changed in the groundskeeper's face. A softening…a compassion…but the duelist didn't take time to contemplate it. Instead, Yami retrieved his motorcycle…and left. He had to talk to Tea.

**Sweet jumping sarcophagus…hopefully I got all the plot details right LOL. I hope you liked and please review ^_^!**


	6. Falling Inside the Black

**I DO NOT OWN YUGIOH OR GHOST RIDER**

**Here's chapter six :)! This one will include a song (playing in the background like a songfic).**

**Sailorblaze:**

**Pinkie Pie in Tea: *Is sitting on top of Dartz in Yami pulling his spikes***

**Yami in Dartz: NOOOO! NOT MY HAIR! MIND CRUSH!**

**Pinkie Pie in Tea: *Collapses***

**BlackRose in Bakura: *Trying to wrench Orichalcos pendant away from Psycho Bakura in BlackRose while Sailorblaze in Magician's V holds him down* Yami! I can't believe you just Mind Crushed a My Little Pony!**

**Tea in Pinkie Pie: And in MY body! You better not have given me brain damage or I will NOT forgive you for missing my dance recital!**

**DMG in Marik: *Looks at Dartz in Yami* What in Ra's name were you thinking, giving an already unstable, psycho kitty with Shadow Powers the Orichalcos stone?**

**Dartz in Yami: *Groaning while Pinkie Pie in Tea relentlessly pulls his hair* Really? You're going to interrogate me NOW?**

**Magician's V in Sailorblaze: Okay, that's IT! *Raises her wand and restores everyone to their own bodies…but turns them into multi-colored Kuribohs***

**Yami the red, black, and blonde Kuriboh: SWEET JUMPING SARCOPHAGUS OF OSIRIS! Will someone PLEASE call Dark Magician, because Magician's V obviously has NO IDEA what she's doing!**

**Atem's Sister Atea: Haha, yeah I agree :). Poor Ironheart had to explain the plot…again ^_^.**

**Aqua girl 007: Thanks ^_^! I've always really liked Ironheart, Kris, and Skye so I was excited that I had the chance to use them :). Haha, thanks I was worried for a while when I got to the duels because I was running out of strategies I know how to use LOL XD. Yami actually did not press his teeth against the man's throat. He just bared his fangs and his icy fingers brushed against the man's throat when he grabbed his collar ^_^.**

**Vampiressbeauty20: Haha, let the Dartz torture begin XD!**

**Bakura: *Walks in with an axe* I hear there's going to be a murder involving chainsaws. May I participate?**

**BlackRose: *Sweatdrops* Uh….okay. ^_^**

**Sunrise Phoenix: Thanks ^_^! I finally got Chibi Marik and Malik to take a nap, so now I'm trying to keep Chibi Joey and Tristan from eating all the Christmas treats in my refrigerator. *Turns back to the boys* Okay, you guys! If you eat all that chocolate, you won't have any room for pizza tonight!**

**Chibi Joey: Sure we will!**

**Chibi Tristan: We're growing boys after all!**

**BlackRose: *Facepalms* Don't make me call Chibi Kaiba! I'm already having a cuteness overload with Chibi Ryo…I don't think I could handle Chibi Mokuba too.**

**I was glad that I finally got to include Ironheart, Kris, and Skye ^_^.**

**MutantEnemy6789: Thanks :)! I kept getting lost and confused and disoriented while I was trying to write it down LOL ^_^.**

**Kender20: Thanks ^_^! Unfortunately, I don't have a place for Joey but Yugi will pretty important towards the final showdown ^_^.**

**X**

Yami's hands shook as he entered the hotel where Tea was staying. It was an elegant, luxurious building with an impressive lobby. The room had marble floors, attractive cream walls, and plush, crimson furniture. Small computer cubbies rested at a side wall, privately enclosed with some sort of unbreakable, opaque substance. There was even a chandelier hanging in a domed section of the ceiling, making the entire place look ritzy and slightly unaffordable. Of course, with her successful dancing career, Tea could most certainly afford it.

Yami nervously glanced at the slip of paper in his hand. It read, 206, Tea's room number. After leaving the graveyard, the duelist had first gone back to the Game Shop. He changed into a dark blue shirt that had several buckles crossing over the chest and dark blue pants to match, choosing to leave his Millennium Puzzle at home. The last thing he needed was that cursed thing to distract him. Then, he'd gone to the Theater…but Tea had not come in yet. He literally begged Serenity to tell him the brunette's hotel room number and she, taking pity on him, reluctantly gave it. Now he was here….and he felt as though he were teetering on the edge of the Empire State Building.

As he walked through the stately lobby, Yami's ears caught the fleeting narration coming from the plasma screen television over by the lush furniture. Something about… "muggers" and "good Samaritans"…

Feeling curious as well as worried, the duelist went over to the television and sprawled his hands over the back ridge of the couch. He was glad no one else was using the sitting area…so they couldn't see his expression.

"My God…" Yami croaked, staring at the live scene.

It was in that same dodgy neighborhood…the one with the darkness, crime…and the mugger…and that was exactly what the reporters were covering. They talked about the mysterious nature of the thief's body…and the odd scorch marks in the gravel a few yards away which Yami worriedly realized came from his Orichalcos-powered motorcycle. They were even interviewing the woman he'd rescued.

She stood with the reporter, looking a lot calmer than she had last night…and obviously enjoying telling the story.

"So what can you tell us about the man who rescued you?" the reporter, a falsely-friendly, red-haired woman who wore way too much makeup inquired.

The woman, a blue-haired female with pixyish features, thought for a moment…and the duelist's jaw grew even tenser.

"Well…he was thin…average height…I couldn't really get a good look at him 'cuz it was dark out…but he was pale, like really pale…and even though he rescued me, I felt kinda afraid of him. He had this…coldness coming from him that seemed almost…supernatural."

The reporter raised her brows and Yami could tell she was getting impatient.

"Is there anything else you can tell us about his physical appearance?" she inquired.

The woman thought for a moment. "Well…he had these piercing eyes. They were glowing."

"Glowing?"

"Yeah…and he had this weird green symbol on his forehead and a bunch of smaller ones going down his arms. They were glowing too."

The reporter stared at her informant for a moment before slowly turning back to the camera. Her eyes were filled with a coldness and irritation that was barely contained by her phony smile.

"I'm not exactly sure what to say to that. This is Reporter Chono, on scene."

And with that, the news cut to commercial.

Yami took a shuddering breath and squeezed the couch's fabric with all his might. So he had left a scene…what exactly did that mean for him? Would he still leave traceable fingerprints in his Soul Reaper form? Or did the Orichalcos fire prevent that? He had no idea after all and did not have time to contemplate it. He had to get on the elevator and go talk to Tea…to see if he could salvage their relationship.

X

Tea pulled on a grey sweatshirt that read "Domino City" in dark pink letters over her light pink tank top and grey leggings. She had to get to the theater. She couldn't keep slouching around her hotel room, ruining her dance career with each spoonful of chocolate ice cream and balling over the mundane issues in cheesy soap operas. She had to get back on her feet and bounce back from the hurt. She had to get good and mad at Yami…unlike what she had done five years ago. Then…the pain had been so unbearable…that the girl was unsure she would ever recover from it.

Clenching her jaw in determination, Tea grabbed her dance bag and was reaching for her purse when a knock sounded at her door. She sighed but smiled. She knew who it had to be…

"It's okay, Serenity…" the brunette called as she headed towards the door. "I'm all right. I was just about to walk out the door, and—" She opened the door…and froze.

Standing there…shuffling his feet with obvious anxiety….was Yami. His outfit was different than the black leather, but it was just as bold, with a dark blue tank that looked as if it contained more buckles than actual fabric. His face looked downcast, his crimson eyes shadowed with worry…but she refused to let the expression touch her heart. She had to be done with him, once and for all. The girl couldn't give him the benefit of the doubt again. She didn't know what activities he'd gotten involved in since he'd aged past twenty, making him legal to engage in certain pastimes…for all she knew, he'd gone out drinking with his friends and had never come to her recital thanks to a drunken stupor.

He opened his mouth. "Tea, I—"

But Tea raised her hand. "Don't…" she muttered and pushed past him, shutting the door to her room and walking towards the stairwell. She always preferred to take the stairs due to a dislike of elevators.

"Please, let me explain…" Yami began as he pursued her down the elegant hall. "Last night was…inexcusable…but I…"

The girl scowled. There he went, making excuses instead of valid reasons. She wasn't going to stand for it.

Tea stopped, her hand clasped over the metal doorknob leading into the stairwell.

"You know what, it's fine…" she said. "No apology is necessary because you did me a favor."

The duelist gazed at her, a mixture of confusion and sadness in those blood eyes. She almost faltered… but forced herself to gather her strength. She couldn't fall for the puppy dog eyes…she had to be strong.

"When you didn't show up at the recital, it hurt. Just like it hurt when you didn't come for me five years ago. It hurt like hell, Yami. But…because you left me standing there in the rain…I went to a place that gave me opportunities I never would have gotten in Domino City. I got to be friends with my mom…and I got to pursue my dream career. I changed my life for the better…but you, Yami…you haven't changed. You're better paid and you have more fans…but you're still a reckless kid."

Yami's eyes grew even sadder and he hung his head. "You're right…" he murmured softly.

Tea stared at him for a long moment. She had expected him to backtrack…to whine…but he was oddly resigned about her accusations. If she were honest with herself…she'd say that she hoped he would backtrack…that he would think of some witty thing to say that would silence her doubts…but he did not.

"I guess my dad was right…" the girl muttered with more sadness than she expected. "You were just a phase…"

And with that…she opened the door to the stairs…and left, leaving Yami and his sad eyes standing at the door…but taking several new uncertainties with her. Had she made the correct choice in saying all those things? In telling him what her anger wanted her to say? Or…had she made…a grave mistake…? And if the latter was true…could she make it right?

X

Yami stepped through the doors of the Kame Game Shop and immediately wandered upstairs. He'd walked home from that exquisite hotel in audible and mental silence, refusing to think about what had just happened until he reached the privacy of his home. He didn't trust what his reaction would be when the reality finally sunk in.

The duelist went into the living room and turned off all the inorganic lights, but he allowed a few rays from the ever setting sun to shine through the curtains…just enough so that he could see the world he had once been a part of…but not enough to make him forget the abyss of nightmares he'd stepped into as a Soul Reaper. It was very dark in the room…cold…but he made no move to turn up the heat or grab a blanket. He deserved this horrible feeling…after all the hurt he'd caused those he loved. The duelist turned on his ipod which was attached to a set of speakers and pressed "shuffle". It began to play "Falling Inside the Black" by Skillet…how appropriate.

Yami pressed his back against the frigid wall and slowly slid down to the floor, drawing a knee up to his chest and leaning his face against his forearm. Tea's words, painful as they might have been, were true. Running away together at eighteen would have been foolish…reckless…just like him. But she was wrong about one thing. He loved her…he truly did…but he sure hadn't made that obvious. He'd done nothing but make false promises and leave her standing in the rain…perhaps she was better off without him.

But still…he didn't want to give her up. He loved her…he wanted her gentle voice…her soft touch…everything.

_Tonight I'm so alone_

_This sorrow takes a hold_

_Don't leave me here so cold_

_Never want to be so cold_

Yami had waited for so long to receive a sign that he could be forgiven for all the mistakes he'd made…now that he'd finally gotten that sign it couldn't be ripped away from him so easily… he had to get her back. He felt lost without her…as if he were stumbling through the dark.

_Your touch used to be so kind_

_Your touch used to give me life_

_I've waited all this time_

_I've wasted so much time_

_Don't leave me alone_

'_Cuz I barely see at all_

_Don't leave me alone_

_I'm falling in the black, slipping through the cracks,_

_Falling to the depths, _

_Can I ever go back?_

_Dreaming of the way it used to be,_

_Can you hear me?_

_Falling in the black, slipping through the cracks,_

_Falling to the depths_

_Can I ever go back?_

_Falling inside the black_

_Falling inside, falling inside…the black_

Yami looked up from his arm as the lyrics began to sink into his brain. He'd never truly realized what an important anchor she had been in his life. When Tea left…he'd felt like he was in a constant state of chaos and unpredictability…perhaps that was another subconscious reason why he'd been so daring as a duelist…he used that recklessness to account for the sense of chaos that always lingered within his heart. She had been everything to him…and he's thrown her away for some stranger.

_You were my source of strength_

_I traded everything_

_I love for this one thing_

_Stranded in the offering_

The duelist stood up, feeling his shoulders grow rigid with realization. He really did need her…he needed to call out to her from the shadows that threatened to swallow him…she was his one desire that needed to be fulfilled…but he couldn't have her, even if she came back on her own accord. Yami would do nothing but put her in danger because of his…problem.

_Don't leave me here like this_

_Can't hear me scream from the abyss_

_And now I wish for you my desire_

The duelist closed his eyes…sighed heavily…and opened them again. The irises flashed like blood as he narrowed them into slits. He had to pull himself out of this darkness…had to own the curse. If not…he would fall inside the black…and he wasn't sure he'd be able to pull himself.

_Don't leave me alone_

'_Cuz I barely see at all_

_Don't leave me alone_

_I'm falling in the black, slipping through the cracks,_

_Falling to the depths, _

_Can I ever go back?_

_Dreaming of the way it used to be_

_Can you hear me?_

_Falling in the black, slipping through the cracks_

_Falling to the depths_

_Can I ever go back?_

_Falling inside the black_

_Falling inside, falling inside…the black_

X

Tea ordered coffee and sat down in one of Starbucks's plush, colorful seats. It was a wonderful, relaxing café that smelled deliciously of coffee, caramel, cinnamon, and vanilla. The dancer, in spite of her still-hurt feelings and fleeting doubts, had worked extra hard today and Serenity had not really approved. The younger girl had tried to insist that Tea take a few days off and the brunette managed to persuade her otherwise by saying she would treat herself to a warm, relaxing drink after work. Coffee wasn't exactly relaxing…but it was warm.

The girl sighed and settled back into her seat, wrapping her fingers around her cup's warm exterior. She glanced outside. It was dark out, the glow of the building windows resembling Christmas lights in the blackness. She focused her cerulean orbs on the lights…the darkness only served to enhance her uncertainties.

Tea had felt guilty and doubtful ever since she'd left the hotel. She regretted everything she'd said to Yami. Even if it was true, and she was not certain that it was, the words had been hurtful. His sorrowful eyes had confirmed that. The dancer had noticed there was a new shadow lingering within Yami's blood eyes. Perhaps something was going on in his life…something difficult that he could not explain…or maybe she was just kidding herself. She felt like two different people…the angry, begrudging dancer…and the kind, forgiving girl deeply in love.

Sighing, Tea stood up and was about to leave the coffee shop…when a familiar voice caught her attention.

"Tea! Hey, long time no see!"

She turned…and saw Yugi Mutou, Yami's younger brother, approaching her with a coffee and a large smile. He looked older…but still had that cherubic cuteness and round, violet eyes.

"Yugi!" the girl gave him a quick hug and stood back, smiling brightly. "It's so good to see you!"

Yugi blushed lightly and shuffled with a bashful grin. Tea had always suspected he had a tiny crush on her…but he never admitted to it because he knew how much she had loved his brother…how much she might…still love his brother.

"So…" the younger Mutou began, "I hear you've become a big-time dancer. Congratulations! I'm glad you're getting to live your dream."

She grinned. "Thanks! Um…" the girl bit her lip nervously; "Did…did Yami tell you about my…becoming successful…?"

Yugi's smile faded. "He…he knew you were in town?"

The brunette nodded.

Her friend gave a heavy sigh. "He didn't tell me…"

Tea studied him, feeling confused as well as worried.

"He didn't tell you? But…you guys talk about everything…"

Yugi sadly shook his head. "Not anymore…Yami doesn't really talk to me about anything significant…I found out you were in town because of that commercial advertising the visiting performers at the Domino Theater. I have to say…I'm really worried about him, Tea."

The dancer nodded with understanding and inquired, "What's going on with him?"

"I don't know, Tea…" the boy replied, glancing out at the shadowed streets as if they would give him some answers. "He's been in a mystery funk lately…he's been reading all these weird, mythology books and I think they're messing with his head…"

The girl bit her lip and thought. She wasn't sure how to phrase the next question without sounding completely awkward.

"Has he…had any relationships since we were…?"

"No," Yugi said without hesitation. "None whatsoever." His violet eyes lit up with a rather mischievous glint as he added, "Honestly…I don't think he ever got over you, Tea. I wonder…if he's still not over you."

Tea could follow the thought. Maybe Yami was struggling because of conflictions about her suddenly showing up. Maybe…he'd been scared. Maybe there was something else going on in his life…and he really needed her to get through it. There was only one way to find out. She had to talk to him.

**A bit grim, but I promise the story will have a happy ending ^_^. I hope you liked and please review :)! **

**I DO NOT OWN YUGIOH, GHOST RIDER, STARBUCKS, OR FALLING INSIDE THE BLACK BY SKILLET**


	7. Revelations and Accusations

**I DO NOT OWN YUGIOH OR GHOST RIDER**

**Chapter seven is up ^_^! I forgot to mention, the blue-haired girl being interviewed by Chono in the last chapter was Miho :).**

**Sailorblaze:**

**BlackRose: Hi everybody! I made us Christmas cookies to celebrate our returning to normal *Glances at Marik wrestling with Orichalcos Corrupted Bakura* Well…almost normal.**

**Pinkie Pie: YAY! Cupcakes AND cookies!**

**Dark Magician: Okay, so…am I done here?**

**BlackRose: I think so…thanks Dark Magician!**

**Dark Magician: *Nods and warps away***

**Yami: *Walks in* Hey, everybody! Look what I found!**

**DMG: What is…HOLY RA!**

**Tea: Yami! What are you doing with a freakin' Orichalcos stone? Did season 4 and this fanfic teach you NOTHING?**

**Yami: *Blinks* Huh? I thought it was part of the Emerald City in Oz—*Stone glows and turns Yami into Soul Reaper Yami***

**BlackRose: Oh, Ra, here we go…**

**Atem's Sister Atea: I agree, Chono is…awful XD. Yugi to the rescue^_^!**

**Sunrise Phoenix: I think I may have a cage that we used for my guinea pig…*gives it to Chibi Marik and Malik* Here. Take this to Sunrise Phoenix and DON'T START FIGHTING.**

**Marik and Malik: Okay! *Both scamper off***

**BlackRose: Now…*Picks up Chibi Ryo, Yugi, and Mokuba* Let's go into the kitchen. I made you three some Christmas cookies…as if you could get any sweeter!**

**Aqua girl 007: Yeah, Chono's like the Wicked Witch of the West of Yugioh XD. Falling Inside the Black is probably my favorite Skillet song next to Monster ^_^.**

**Vampiressbeauty20: Thanks ^_^! Haha, yeah Dartz is a MUCH better villain than Paradox :).**

**TwilightPhoenixFyre: Thanks :)! I agree, I didn't really want to make Mako a villain, but it fit well XD. Weevil will die pretty soon (I hate him too LOL) ^_^.**

**MutantEnemy6789: Thanks :)! I love Skillet. I've been wanting to do a songfic with Falling Inside the Black for ages XD. I agree about Tea…I had to keep telling myself that in her mind, Yami's stood her up twice LOL ^_^.**

**Kender20: Thanks :)! Yugi will find out a little later about Yami's curse whereas Tea will find out in this chapter ^_^.**

**X**

Yami sat on the couch in his living room, intently flipping through the pages of a book. After mourning over the sacrifice of his own life for a while, he'd changed into his usual comfortable outfit of black leather and studs, turned on the lights, switched off his ipod, and ignited his determination. If he was going to own this curse…he was going to need to familiarize himself with curses in general.

Blood eyes narrowed intensely, the Soul Reaper scanned a paragraph in the book he was reading, "Hexes and Curses for Dummies." In spite of its humorously off-putting name…the book was quite credible. It enlightened him with all sorts of information…from the nature of curses to the possibilities of breaking them…and how to control them. That was the page he was reading now as he sat in the room all by himself, praying that Yugi did not walk in the door.

"Many curses instill their victims with power…" Yami read softly. "This power always works to the benefit of the curse's inflictor and usually to the disadvantage of its recipient. However, it is possible for the cursed individual to control his newfound abilities. He must concentrate, mentally reach into the darkest recesses of his soul…and focus on forcing the curse to mold to his will…"

Yami's frown deepened and he looked up. His eyes locked on the flickering flame of a candle he'd lit in case he needed to burn any evidence of his reading about curses. The blood irises sparkled even more, reflecting the glow of the flame as it danced…danced beautifully and gracefully…just like Tea… He shook his head and stood up. He had to concentrate.

The duelist stretched out his hand…and glowered at it in deep thought. He focused his mind onto his power…the way it felt as it transformed him…the burning…the vengeance…and slowly closed his eyes. The Millennium Puzzle dangling from his neck…began to glow.

"I am speaking to the power within me…" he muttered, voice lower than usual. "This is my curse…mine and nobody else's. It will do as I command." He opened his crimson eyes…and saw a few flickers of green flame swirling over his hand. It was actually working. "I control the power…it does not control me…"

Yami breathed in deeply…and clenched his fist shut, effectively extinguishing the Orichalcos fire. There was no burning…no freezing…no headache. Maybe…he could do this. Letting out the air he'd sucked in, the youth unclenched his hand and called the flames forth. They appeared again in their emerald beauty, twirling over his pale palm like liquid jade. It was almost….hypnotizing.

Yami stayed still, staring in wonder at the manifestation of his own magic…until the bell above the Game Shop door jingled, alerting him to someone's presence. Yugi perhaps? Frantic, the duelist shook his hand, putting the flames out again. They bit him, sending a quick burning pain through his arm…but there was no scorch mark to prove it thankfully. He removed the Millennium Puzzle and placed it on the coffee table as if it were some queer centerpiece.

Footsteps thudded softly up the staircase and Yami scrambled to hide his "Hexes and Curses for Dummies" book. Finally, he just stuck it in between the sofa cushions and slouched on the couch as if he'd just been sitting there…staring at the fire of his candle. He scowled to himself, feeling like a child who was about to be caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

"Yami?"

The voice that reached his ears….made his heart stop. Yami swallowed hard, his throat suddenly dry. It was her voice…Tea's voice. But…why? What was she doing here? He thought that she hated him…that she wanted nothing to do with him…even though he loved her more than he could say.

Cautiously, the youth stood up…right as Tea reached entered the living room. The girl wore a lilac tank top and black, form-fitting skirt that reached mid-thigh with long black knee-socks and violet platforms. All of the shades of purple made her skin look like smooth ivory…her hair like dark chocolate…and those eyes…like gems of pure sapphire. Yami's heart began to pound once more.

"Sorry…" Tea gave a tentative smile as she stood with one hand on the living room doorframe. "The shop door was unlocked, so I…"

"N-no, it is fine," Yami smiled warmly at her…but it truly was not fine. He had told himself that he would give her up for her own safely…but now that she was here…looking so radiant…his heart was telling him otherwise.

Tea stepped forward, crossing the threshold into his temporary training ground. Her expression was nervous…sad…and slightly flushed as if she were embarrassed. It held no malice, however.

"I came to apologize," she murmured, approaching and standing only a few feet away from him. "I…what I said to you….it was…"

The duelist waved his hand in dismissal. "It is fine, Tea." As much as it had hurt…he meant what he said. From her standpoint, she had put her faith in a man who had abandoned her five years ago…and he'd stood her up yet again. If she knew what was truly going on…he was sure she would understand…but she had no idea.

Tea shook her head, then dropped her gaze to the carpeted floor. "No…it's not fine. It was cruel and not at all true. I…I feel terrible..." Her voice shook slightly and Yami felt his heart twist. Her eyes were glistening with tears as they focused on the floor…she really felt bad about it.

He placed a finger beneath her chin and lifted her head toward his. Her eyes were lined with tears, but she refused to let any of them fall.

"Don't…" he murmured, gazing into those oceanic gems he loved so dearly. "I made you a promise….and I broke it. There is no excuse for that."

The dancer smiled, sniffed, and gently pulled away from him. She walked over to a small table that rested against a side wall, parallel to the windowed wall on the other side of the room. On the table, sat photos and mementos of countless duelist competitions…and of Solomon Mutou. She smiled at a poster hanging on the wall above the table. It illustrated an epic clash between the Dark Magician and Blue-Eyes White Dragon, the words "Kaiba Corp Grand Championship" printed in snapping white lettering at the bottom.

"I still have this one…"

The duelist cocked his head and went to join her at the table. He stood next to her, a little closer than he originally meant to. He needed to distance himself from her…to somehow get her to leave…but it was hard to do that when he could feel her warmth…could breathe in the sweat smell of her peach-scented shampoo.

Her smiling azure eyes drank in every detail of the memento table…the metals…the championship certificates…Grandpa's old deck that had been placed in a glass case to honor his memory… Then…her gaze landed on another photograph. This one had been taken outside the Duel Dome…it was of Yami and Tea, their faces younger and beaming as they held each other next to a statue of the Blue Eyes White Dragon.

"I remember that day…" the girl murmured softly. "It was right after your duel with Seto Kaiba. You won the battle and became the newest Mutou prodigy…then…instead of sticking around to please your thronging new fans…you met me outside the Dome and we went to the beach. We stayed there all day…" she turned towards him and her body went rigid. They were so close…her warm breath tickling his face. "…just…the two of us…"

Yami's heart pounded faster than it ever had before. She was right there…so close…her heart filled with a longing that mirrored his own. He was sick of denying himself his deepest desires…all he wanted was her…

That was precisely when their emotions exploded. Tea leaned forward and pressed her lips against his. For a split second, Yami hesitated. His brain screamed "no, you can't" while his racing heart said "yes you can and you will." He finally chose to listen to his heart.

Yami wrapped his arms around Tea's waist and responded deeply to the kiss. It was fervent and heated, their hearts pouring all the passion and lost time into the contact. The duelist lifted the dancer off her feet and swung her around once before landing on his back onto the couch. They broke for air before devouring each other's mouths again, this time even more ardent than the last. Yami felt as though he were lost in a sea of passion and bliss…he wanted it to last forever…but one, simple thing made him stop…that thing…being the hardness of the book he'd hidden stabbing into his spine from between the couch cushions….and that of the Millennium Puzzle.

"Wait, wait…I-I can't…" Yami placed his hand gently on the side of Tea's head, running it down over her neck and to her elegant collarbone. She stared at him, eyes half-lidded and breathing ragged. "It's…it's just bad timing…I should probably w-walk you to your car…"

The girl gazed into his eyes for a moment longer, fire clashing with ice…and let out a heavy sigh. She got up off his chest and began to pace around the living room, one hand running stressfully through her chocolate locks.

The Soul Reaper got up too, feeling his nerves ignite again. He could sense her frustration, her disappointment…and was about to say something when she beat him to it.

"I don't get it, Yami…" Tea muttered as she paced. "You go all the way to the Domino Theater so you can ask to see my show…then you never come. You keep a picture of me in your living room…and when I kiss you…you try to shove me out the door."

The girl finally stopped moving and turned to look at him. Her eyes were searching, begging him for an explanation.

"What's going on with you, Yami? You can tell me. You can tell me anything…please…"

Yami gazed into those sad, azure eyes…and felt his heart begin to melt. He wanted to tell her…he wanted to tell her so badly…but he really shouldn't…

"You would not believe me if I told you…" he said softly.

The dancer approached him and placed her hands on his chest. They were gentle, cool on his collarbone…as if her simple touch could extinguish the cursed Orichalcos flames that haunted his heart.

"Try me…" she murmured.

Yami stared at her for a long moment. He'd told her many things over the years, things he hadn't even told Yugi…perhaps…he could trust her. He wanted so badly to trust her…for he felt as if he might go crazy if he didn't tell someone about this mess.

"I…." the duelist started and his voice trailed off, the fears resurfacing. What if she reacted badly when he told her? What would he do then? As if she had heard his thoughts, Tea reached up and placed one of her hands on his cheek. Her skin was soft and warm against his face.

"I've heard and seen a lot of things…whatever it is, you can tell me."

"I'm…I'm cursed, Tea…" the words slipped out faster than Yami normally wouldn't have spoken and he cringed as if they had hurt him.

The girl raised her brows…but didn't immediately disavow his claim.

"Cursed as in…bad luck or something?"

"No…" he shook his head slowly. "It is a bit more complicated than that."

He turned to meet her gaze…and saw that her expression was lost, confused. The girl clearly didn't understand. He heaved a heavy sigh. There was no other choice then….he would have to show her.

Yami took a deep breath, raised his hand so that the palm was facing upward…and concentrated. A small but significant wisp of emerald fire appeared on his hand, coiling snakelike around his knuckles and through his fingers. Tea gasped and drew her hands back, her eyes wide as they fixated on the oddly-colored flame. It continued to slither for a moment before Yami closed his fist, letting the power absorb back into his body.

The brunette stared at his hand, as if waiting for the flames to reappear. When they did not, she slowly turned her head to lock gazes with him again. Her eyes were wide…shocked. He was afraid of that. What would she do now? Would she run screaming from the shop, shouting that he was a monster as she left? The Reaper decided he would take advantage of her stunned silence and explain himself…before he never saw her again.

"Five years ago…"He began quietly. "I made a deal with a stranger…to save Grandpa from cancer. The stranger healed his cancer…and then let him die in a dueling accident the same day. Now, I'm cursed…bound to that stranger until he sets me free."

Tea seemed to have snapped out of her stupor. Instead of running, though…she took his hand…and ran her fingers over the lines in his palm. Her touch made him shiver with surprise and relief.

"Does it hurt?" the girl asked uncertainly.

Yami shrugged. "It did when I transformed the first time…"

She shot him a shocked look. "Transformed?"

The duelist's heart sank again. He really didn't want to tell her this part…but there was no getting around it.

"…I become this being…this monster, really. A creature fueled by anger…and a thirst for revenge against the wicked."

"When do you transform?"

"Apparently at night…then whenever I'm in the presence of evil. One day…I should be able to control it."

"So…" Tea tapped her chin for a minute. "Does that mean that tonight you'll—"

Her question was cut off…by the sound of the door being slammed open downstairs. Dozens of loud footsteps thudded through the bottom floor of the shop, followed by a male shout of "Police!"

"Police?" the girl whipped around to look at him, her eyes terrified. "What do they want with you?"

"I don't know…" Yami replied, his blood eyes narrowing. That was a lie. He did know. He had seen the footage of the wreck he'd left behind when he took down that mugger…apparently he had left some sort of trace.

The duelist turned and grabbed Tea's shoulders, his gaze firm. They couldn't find her…couldn't drag her into this mess.

"You've got to hide, Tea."

The dancer's shot him a stunned look. "But why…?"

"I don't want them to find you here. Whatever they think I've done…I don't want them to suspect that you are somehow involved."

"But I want to help you—"

"The best way you can help me…" he murmured, cutting her off as he took her hands in his and squeezed them. "…is by giving me the assurance that you are safe. You can do that by making sure you aren't seen with me."

Yami gave her a quick kiss on the lips and gently urged her toward the hallway leading to the bedrooms before she could protest. The footsteps were thudding up the stairs now…and it was only a matter of time before they found him. Tea shot him a fleeting look over her shoulder…but to his relief, she ran down the hallway, into the concealing darkness of the building's back rooms.

The youth breathed a sigh of utter relief…and slowly turned to face the doorway…which was now streaming with uniformed Domino Police Officers. They rushed into the room like a torrent of water, pointing guns at the youth and ordering him to put up his hands. He obeyed, gazing at each glowering face with as much confusion as he could muster into a facial expression.

"Yami Mutou?" a man with a deep, gruff voice stepped forward. He was roughly the size of a gorilla with a muscled body, blonde hair that stuck up in spikes at the top, sideburns that jutted outward, and cold blue eyes. He wore a police uniform that looked like it barely fit him and brandished a badge for his quarry to see. "I am office Rafael Doma. You're coming with us."

Another cop weaved through his gun-wielding comrades and went over to the coffee table. He grabbed the Millennium Puzzle with a gloved hand and stuck it into a large, clear evidence bag. Yami tried not to glance at it.

"Okay…" the duelist muttered. "I guess…I am going with you."

He didn't understand why they weren't searching his home, but he didn't care. If it meant Tea was safe…he was okay with being a little confused.

X

After an uncomfortable ride cuffed in a squad car, Yami found himself in an interrogation room in the Domino City Police Department. It was a chillingly cold room with a metallic grey ceiling, walls, and furniture. Yami was sitting in a hard, metal chair, staring flatly at several crime scene photos that the officer Rafael had placed on the table before him. They were pictures taken from the Chimera Tavern Massacre…and of a body found at the warehouse where the Soul Reaper had first transformed. He knew he didn't have anything to do with the first picture…and he desperately hoped he didn't have anything to do with the second.

"You see this guy?" Rafael growled, pointing at the warehouse worker as he hovered domineeringly over Yami. The body in the photo looked drained…and there was a strange brand he vaguely recognized burned into its flesh. "He was a hard worker getting ready to retire. Never hurt a soul in his life."

The officer pointed at the Tavern picture, specifically a soulless woman lying near the bar with that same brand on her palm. "Neither did she. She was just a kid. She hadn't even started a real life yet you sick bast—"

"Rafael…" another officer leaning against the wall, the one who'd taken Yami's puzzle, cut him off. This man had an Australian accent and a friendly personality. He'd told the duelist to just call him "Valon:"…but Yami had stuck with "Officer." He knew what game they were playing…

"Let's take a break…" Valon continued. His partner scowled and began to pace the claustrophobic room.

Valon sat down in the chair across from Yami, his gaze soft. "Listen…we've had cops roaming the streets for days now, searching jewelry stores and antiquities dealers for any object that could make that brand you see in the photo." The officer slid another picture forward, this one showing a blow-up of the symbol. It…was an Eye of Horus. The duelist's blood went cold.

The brunette pulled the bagged Puzzle out of a black bag sitting near his feet and placed it on the table. "One of our investigators saw you walking down the street one day. He's a fan of yours. He was going over to ask you for an autograph…when he saw this pendant hanging around your neck." Valon's voice was starting to grow hard with accusation. Realizing this, he corrected himself with a compassionate smile. "Look…I'm not asking you to help me. I'm asking you to help yourself. If you did something…admit to it and we'll see what we can do."

"I did not kill any of those people…" Yami muttered, keeping his blood eyes locked on those of his interrogater.

Rafael gave a low growl. "Oh, yeah…next thing you'll be tellin' us is that you were an ancient pharaoh in another life or some other bull—"

"Rafael!" Valon shot him a look. The beefy man rolled his eyes and finally stopped pacing, leaning his broad back against the metal wall and glaring at the duelist.

Yami kept his eyes locked on the Millennium Puzzle. He didn't kill those people…but Bakura might have….

"Man…" Valon said suddenly, startling the Reaper. "It's freezing in here…" he reached into the pocket of his uniform and pulled out a small white box and silver lighter. "You want a cigarette?"

Yami shook his head. He could tell by the slight flash of chagrin in the other man's eyes that he was not a smoker either. They were just testing to see if he was some kind of pyromaniac obsessed with branding people or something.

The brunette flicked on the lighter….and the flame…glowed green. He gasped and dropped the device, the queer flame disappearing as quickly as it had come.

"Did…did you see that?"

"See what?" Yami raised his ebony brows, feigning ignorance. He had seen it…perhaps he had accidentally caused it. He could feel the anger of the Reaper bubbling up within him… and had to force it back.

Yami leaned forward on the table, placing both elbows on the hard surface and lacing his pale fingers together. This position was even less comfortable than the last…but he didn't care.

"Look…." He began, glancing back and forth between the two cops. "I have seen countless law enforcement programs…and I know what you're doing. This is good cop bad cop…but deep down…you are both good cops." He looked pointedly at Rafael. "You do an outstanding and unappreciated service to the city…and I greatly admire the men and women who risk their safety to ensure the safety of others. But…" his blood eyes grew intense. "I did not kill anyone. Instead of wasting your time interrogating me…you should be out there searching for the real killer."

Both men stared at him for a long moment, as if expecting him to say more. When he did not…they looked at each other…and burst into incredulous laughter.

"Wow…." Valon said, finally regaining his composure and looking back at the duelist. There was no warmth in his eyes anymore…only coldness. "You are full of it."

He tossed the keys to his suspect's cuffs to his partner and stood up.

"Lock him up," he said.

Rafael plucked the keys out of the air…and gave a slow, smug grin.

"Gladly…" the beefy man said…and grabbed Yami's arm in a painful…inescapable grip.

**Yami's not having a good day… I hope you liked and please review :)! I changed Tea's reaction as opposed to Roxanne's because I didn't want her to get mad at him again LOL. By the way, updates may slow down Sunday, Monday, and maybe Tuesday, (I've got a ton of non-fanfiction work to do) but I will do my best to keep posting chapters ^_^.**

**I DO NOT OWN YUGIOH OR GHOST RIDER**


	8. Jailbreak

**I DO NOT OWN YUGIOH OR GHOST RIDER**

**Chapter eight is up ^_^! I forgot to mention, I do kill off Pegasus in this chapter (sorry to anyone who likes him :). By the way, thank you, everyone, for the nice comments about my Fanfiction time crunch :). I was feeling stressed, and it helped me to feel much better ^_^. **

**Sailorblaze:**

**Furball Bakura: *Squeaking furiously and attempting to lunge at DMG***

**Marik: *Holding onto Furball* Fluffy! Calm down! Ugh…I think I'm gonna need a friggin leash.**

**Soul Reaper Yami: *Grins like a vampire and snaps his chain* Would this work?**

**Marik: FRIG NO! SOMEBODY GET THIS FRIGGIN PSYCHO AWAY FROM ME!**

**Soul Reaper Yami: Sorry, mortal…but my thirst for vengeance must be quenched! *Starts to chase a screaming Marik and furball around the room***

**Marik: HELP ME!**

**BlackRose: *Rolls her eyes* Will the insanity never end…? Yami! Look at me!**

**Soul Reaper Yami: *Stops***

**BlackRose: *Disappears, then comes back with Weevil Underwood* Here. Take your anger out on him.**

**Weevil: Wha? EEEEEK! *Soul Reaper Yami lunges at him***

**Atem's Sister Atea: Thanks ^_^! Haha, couldn't resist the "For Dummies" book quip XD. I agree about the cops. I wanted to change Yami's reason for being a suspect (which I believe was their finding Johnny Blaze's motorcycle's license plate at the crime scene). I'm going to add another reason for Yami's suspicion in this chapter :)**

**Aqua girl 007: Thanks ^_^! It took me a while to figure out who would be the cops LOL ^_^.**

**MutantEnemy6789: Thanks :)! I got tired of torturing Yami with love sickness LOL.**

**Sunrise Phoenix: **

**Marik and Malik: *Walk in* We're back!**

**BlackRose: *Picks them both up and hugs them* There's my boys! Were you good for Sunrise Phoenix?**

**Marik and Malik: *Both nod***

**BlackRose: Okay. *leads them into the kitchen* I have some Christmas cookies just for you.**

**Marik and Malik: Yay!**

**BlackRose: All right…now you two stay in the kitchen. I need to go call Magician of Black Chaos…I'm not sure Dark Magician is even strong enough to change Lion-O back…**

**Haha, I love that scene too ^_^!**

**Vampiressbeauty20: Haha, couldn't resist the title XD. Poor Kura…he's been turned into a chibi, My Little Pony, kitty, furball, and even switched bodies with me LOL.**

**Dartz: *Walks in***

**BlackRose: Hey Dartz!**

**Dartz: What?**

**Blackrose: *Grins, holds up snarling furball Bakura, and throws him at Dartz's head***

**Dartz: GAAAAAAHHHH! GET IT OFF! GET IT OFF!**

**Kender20: Thanks ^_^! Poor Yami…he's having a tough time XD. I may have Valon and Rafael defend Yami near the end, but I'm not really sure yet ^_^.**

**Sorceress of the nile: Thank you ^_^! I love your profile pic, by the way ^_^.**

**Coka Cookie Cola: It's okay :)! Trust me, I know what ya mean about computer issues...my dad spilled coffee on my computer before I joined and for a while it would randomly shriek and turn "Blue screen of death" XD. I agree, I would be really ticked at a guy who stood me up three times LOL ^_^.  
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**X**

Rafael dragged Yami through the prison wing of the DCPD, his meaty hands painfully squeezing his prisoner's arms to cut off his protests. This area of the department…seemed to radiate with coldness and evil. The walls were a bleak, grey brick, the lights, pallid and flickering. The windows were barred, offering insignificant slivers of light to shine in on the cells. At first, Yami thought that the essence of darkness he sensed in this place was just his imagination…but the intensification of the feeling as they roamed farther and farther down the hall…made him think otherwise.

In spite of the black, iron bars separating him from the prisoners, the duelist felt as if the shadows of their wicked souls were reaching out to him, clawing at his heart and irritating the Reaper that lay dormant within it. Ironheart's words came flooding back to him… "You will transform in the presence of evil." He wasn't sure…how long he was going to last in this place.

"Please…" Yami croaked, biting against the pain shooting throughout his jaw that told him his fangs were attempting to surface. "I didn't…kill anyone…"

Rafael ignored him. "Move it," he growled, painfully wrenching the youth forward.

Before he was dragged off by this sasquatch, Valon had explained to Yami that there was another proof against him. Tire tracks had been found, etched into the gravel at the crime scene…and those tracks…belonged to Yami's motorcycle. Yami had tried to say that didn't mean he killed the warehouse worker…but they hadn't listened to him, determined that they had found the Chimera Tavern slaughterer…and far too eager to put him behind bars. They were letting their emotions dictate their judgments.

Finally, Rafael stopped at a cell near the end of the passage. This one was a group cell in the darkest, coldest section of the prison wing…and the aura of wickedness sent waves of agony throughout the Reaper's soul.

"Oh, God…" Yami whispered. "Please…y-you don't want to p-put me in there…"

"Sorry…" his captor said with a sardonic grin. "The Ritz was booked."

And with that…he threw the duelist into the cage and slammed the door shut before walking off. Yami gave a strangled groan and clung to the bars, pressing his forehead against their cool metal. His back arched over, heaving with ragged breaths, and his knuckles whitened around the bars.

"Ghah…please….Please get me out of here!" he shouted down the corridor…but received only the echo of his own voice in response. Pain shot throughout the Reaper's skull. It wasn't the kind of pain he'd experienced last time, the feeling when his body had to accept the new transformation. This was the pain of holding something powerful at bay. He felt like a patch on a damaged dam, struggling to hold back a torrent of water.

"Hey…" a sinister voice droned behind him, but he didn't turn to look. "You look like that famous duelist, Yami Mutou."

"Y-yeah…" the duelist said, trying to keep his voice even. "I…I get that a lot…"

"Nah, it is you…" another voice, this one deep and gruff, replied. "That's him!"

A burning agony shot across Yami's shoulder blades and he bit back a cry, swinging his body around and slamming his back against the bars. The icy metal helped to soothe his tank-exposed shoulders…but intensified the feeling of claustrophobia. Yami looked up, breathing heavily, and took in the scoundrels that were growing ever closer to him.

The one who had last spoken was a man whose size rivaled that of Rafael. His hair was black and buzzed against his head, leaving a few jagged locks at the top that curled toward his skull. His eyebrows were massive and bushy, arched downward in a permanent glare and his black eyes gleamed with evil. He wore baggy grey jeans and a black T-shirt that revealed black belts crisscrossing down his biceps. There were several other ragged-looking goons behind him…and a kid who looked no older than seventeen standing in the background. He wore simple clothes and had purple hair…and sad brown eyes. He stared at the duelist, with what looked like…concern.

"I saw you duel in the championship a few years ago…" the beefy goon was saying, a cruel grin twisting his lips. "You had the safeguards turned way down. I paid ten bucks to see you get incinerated…but you didn't"

One of the other scoundrels laughed at the Reaper's physical distress, not knowing the true cause of it. "It looks like someone's trippin' out…"

Yami gave another strained moan and grabbed at the bars again. He could feel the primal rage building up within him…and the man's voice was only serving to vex it.

"You may be a big-shot out there, Mutou…but out there, you're nothin' but a monkey in a cage!"

A snarl wrenched from Yami's lips and he was sure his fangs were visible…however the villains seemed not to notice. He struggled to control himself, looking at the approaching men sideways.

"Look….I don't…I don't want any trouble…I don't want any…" a horrifyingly sinister laugh rumbled in his throat, cutting off his words. The Reaper…was coming….whether he wanted it to or not.

"Well…" one of the prisoners grinned. "Looks like trouble…just found you!"

All at once, the scoundrels charged him, punching and cursing and taunting. Yami began to laugh harder, in spite of the onslaught to his person. The beefy thug grinned at him. "Nice belts…" he said and slugged Yami in the stomach, knocking the air from his lungs.

"Hey!" the purple-haired kid came forward, eyes narrowed. "C'mon, guys, leave him alone!"

"Get lost!" the beefy jerk growled…and punched the poor kid, sending him flying against the bars again. He landed painfully and lay groaning on the cold, unforgiving floor.

That….was the last straw.

Yami was thrown to the center of the cell and the villains surrounded him, still kicking and punching…but it mattered not. His teeth were sharpened, his skin pale, hair crazed…and eyes glowing red. Snarling, the Reaper released a powerful burst of green energy from the glyphs glowing on various parts of his body. The men went flying, slamming into the bars and brick walls, away from him. The Reaper had been released…as had the formidable strength and fiery vengeance.

Another laugh came from Yami's pale lips and he grinned at each and every jerk in the room. They were all either unconscious or staring at him in complete terror. The Soul Reaper was sure to look at each and every one of them with the same chilling, smirk…but fixed his gaze on the gorilla goon who'd punched the kid. The man was curled on the floor, looking more like a terrified little kid than a big, brawny criminal.

Yami approached him and flicked his hand. Green energy swirled out of the floor, lifting the goon up to his eye level. The man was shaking like a leaf…and Yami found that he relished that unbridled fear.

"Nice belts…" he grinned ghoulishly and used his magic to rip the leather off the man's arms. He then tossed the villain across the room, laughing when he unleashed a scream that was not unlike that of a five-year-old girl before slamming into a wall and passing out.

"Very nice…" Yami lashed the ebony belts around his arms. They crisscrossed from his wrists to his shoulders, revealing the glowing Atlantian symbols as well as emphasizing his biceps. The accessory added one last edge to his bad-boy outfit.

Grinning in vampiric satisfaction, the Reaper started towards the bars…and halted. He turned slowly, eerily…and faced the purple-haired kid. The kid was leaning his back against the cell bars, eyes wide and terrified.

"You…" Yami slowly raised his finger and pointed at him. The boy tensed, fearing the worst…but Yami's expression softened. "You are innocent."

The kid stared at him with confusion…but the duelist gave no explanation. He turned, concentrated, and used his hand to shoot a green ball of energy at the pallid light fixture just outside the cell. The Orichalcos fire hit the light, shattering it…and casting a small splotch of shadow on the spot where light had once been. It was small…but it was enough. Yami's figure faded and dissolved into the shadows that barely reached inside the cell…and he appeared outside the bars. His instincts really did come in handy…otherwise, he never would have guessed he could literally disappear into the shadows.

He tapped his chin, wondering if he could try one more thing. Taking a deep breath, Yami closed his blood eyes…and reached down into the shadows. He focused on the last place he saw what he was looking for before Rafael dragged him off. He delved his mind…into the shadowy folds of Valon's black bag. His brows furrowed in concentration…he could feel plastic evidence bags…rubber gloves…the thick fabric from the bag's walls…and a plastic-covered triangular object. A smile twisted the Reaper's lips.

"Got ya…" he murmured…and pulled his hand out of the darkness, taking the Millennium Puzzle with it.

X

Bakura grinned as he walked around the conference room of the Kaiba Corp Headquarters building. The building itself had a sleek, tall exterior, the letters "KC" proudly initialed at the top…and the inside was even more sophisticated. It was filled with the most state-of-the-art technology and workers of the utmost brilliance. Fitting, seeing as the company's prodigious president, Seto Kaiba, took control of the corporation when he was a young teenager.

The room in which Bakura was pacing had a single long table made of some opaque substance. Comfortable leather chairs lined both sides and either end. There was even a large screen against one of the lilac walls. This was, no doubt, the place where Kaiba court executives discussed important issues…such as Pegasus's desire to purchase the company. In fact, that was exactly what they were getting ready to do…before the demon burst in.

Bakura's cruel grin widened as he stepped back…to behold the chaos he'd inflicted. The Kaiba Corp executives, who, to his disappointment, did not include Seto or Mokuba Kaiba, were lying on the tiled floor…barren shells of their former selves. Those poor, unfortunate souls…they had been sitting in their chairs, distractedly flipping through papers…when he came in. They hadn't expected anything…and hadn't even had time to call for help.

Bakura brazenly sat in one of the end chairs and turned so that his back was facing the door. He was impatient for that cursed mortal who moved the graves, Maximillion Pegasus, to get his wealthy butt over here. He didn't like this room. It was too warm…too bright…too…inviting.

As if beckoned by his thoughts, the door…slid open. Footsteps thudded across the tile floor, followed by the gentle rustling of paper. Whoever was coming in was obviously looking at some documents…and hadn't yet seen the carnage in the room.

"All right, gentlemen…." A smooth, almost musical voice greeted. "Let's get this show on th…." The voice trailed off and Bakura grinned. The man had looked up…and the demon could smell his tantalizing fear.

"…road…" he finished his sentence…but his voice came out a ghost of its former self.

Slowly, eerily, the Soul Reaper swiveled the chair around. A man stood near the door, his face pale with fear. He seemed to be in his thirties, with shoulder-length silver hair, brown eyes, and a deep red suit that showed off his unimaginable wealth. He dropped the papers he was holding to the floor and swallowed visibly.

"Greetings, Mr. Pegasus…" Bakura said with a ghoulish grin. "You and I…have some business to discuss."

X

Yami leaned his back against the outer precinct wall, almost blending into the shadows as he waited. It was dark out, only a few street lamps illuminating the otherwise shadowed space. Squad cars were parked at the curb and the distant sound of traffic and sirens reached his ears…but other than that, the area was creepily silent. That worked to his advantage…as he was able to easily distinguish the sound he was waiting to hear.

A smile twisted the Reaper's lips and his blood eyes flicked open. The growling sound of an engine grew louder and louder…until his motorcycle finally came into view. It rode to him in all its green flame and silver chrome glory, parking itself expertly on the curb. Yami grinned and ran a fond hand over the skull-shaped metal. The bike growled louder, as if it were a noble steed responding to his icy touch.

The Reaper reached out to grab his chain…and was interrupted by a male voice.

"Hey!"

He turned…and saw a police officer racing towards him. The man raised his nightstick and swung it, intending to hit the reaper in the jaw…but Yami caught it in one, pallid hand. He squeezed the hard cylindrical object, snapping it in half and letting it crumble into black and green ash.

The cop stepped backward, a look of shock clear on his face. Yami raised a hand and shook his finger in a "tsk, tsk, tsk" motion, before turning back to his bike. He grabbed the chain and swung it, letting the linked metal wrap around his torso. He then mounted the vehicle and squeezed the handles. The machine gave anther low growl of approval, green flames shooting from its various crevices.

Yami threw his head back and unleashed an unearthly laugh that echoed throughout the desolate space. He then revved up the bike…and sped off in a trail of emerald flame, following the fire of revenge that blazed within his heart.

X

"Where did you move the graveyard?" Bakura asked, slowly getting up from his chair in order to intimidate. The temperature in the room had dropped astronomically and Pegasus's breath was coming out in visible clouds.

The Industrial Illusions president turned with the intention of fleeing out the door…but he was not quite fast enough. Bakura let out an ear-shattering shriek…and the entire room….began to change. The lilac walls turned a dark purple and the ceiling lights shattered, bathing the chamber in darkness. Shadows misted over the door and when Pegasus reached for it…it shocked his hand with purple electricity. The man yelped and stumbled backward, shaking his fingers in pain.

"Why so quick to leave, Pegasus?" Bakura grinned mockingly, relishing his victim's horror. "I told you we had some business to discuss."

Pegasus turned around…and slowly straightened his spine, pretending a calmness he obviously did not feel. His expression was controlled…but the Soul Reaper could see the emotion in his eyes.

"What do you want?" Pegasus asked, his voice hard.

"I already told you…" the villain allowed some of the demonic undertone to creep into his voice, displaying his irritation. "I want to know where you moved that graveyard. The one where your wife is buried."

The man swallowed again, as if his throat were made of sandpaper. "Why does it matter to you?"

Bakura slammed a fist onto the opaque table. The supposedly shatter-proof windows overlooking the dark city…broke into diamond-like shards. Splinters of glass flew inward and the sliver-haired man had to cover his eyes in order to avoid being blinded.

"Why it matters to me…" Bakura growled dangerously. "Is none of your concern."

Pegasus slowly lowered his arm not seeming to care that it had several cuts on it. The fear pulsating from his soul was so palpable…that Bakura felt as though he could reach out and grab it. This made his demonic spirit grow even more primal than it already was.

"So…." The Reaper sneered, his mouth stretching back to reveal the knife-like fangs. "I shall ask you a third time…where did you move that cursed graveyard?"

The silver-haired man focused on his enemy…and his jaw grew tense. His shoulders squared themselves and he curled his fingers into fists. Bakura recognized that expression. It was the mortal equivalent of determination. This fool was resolute that he would not give his foe any information…even if giving the information would not effect him in any way.

The demon raised his snowy eyebrows. "You wish to be difficult? Fine…two can play at that game."

Bakura braced his hands on the table and let his ghastly grin widen to horrifying lengths, stretching along the side of his face almost to his ears. His mouth became a jagged pit of blackness with sharp teeth constantly gnashing. The dusky Egyptian skin went sickly white and those cold blue eyes…turned obsidian, gleaming with evil intent. Claws replaced his fingernails and dark horns grew out of his head, making the snowy spikes of hair appear even sharper.

Once the transformation was complete, Bakura let out a shrieking roar so piercing, so terrifying, that Pegasus actually dropped to the floor and crawled beneath the high-end table. That made no difference in his safety, however. The demon merely grabbed the table in his razor-like claws and threw it aside, smashing whatever glass was left in the window. Even though his size hadn't changed, his strength had grown to supernatural levels.

Snarling, Bakura reached down and grabbed Pegasus by the lapel of his stupidly expensive suit, lifting him off his feet into the air. The man's terror was tempting him, calling to his ravenous appetite for souls…and it was all he could do to hold it back.

"Out…." Pegasus's voice was shaking terribly and he could barely form the words. "Outside…the c-city….I m-moved the g-g-graveyard outside t-the city…i-it's the o-only one out there…."

"Does the same old man still work there?" the Reaper asked.

His victim tried to shrug but found he could not do so suspended in the air. "A-as far as I-I know…"

"Mmmm…." The demon dropped Pegasus to the ground and stood, hovering over him.

"A-all right…" Pegasus stuttered, eyes wild with panic. "Y-you got y-your information…n-now l-leave…I g-gave you what you w-w-wanted…now you h-have to let me l-live."

A cruel smile further contorted Bakura's features. "I do not recall ever making that arrangement."

What little color was left departed from the Industrial Illusions president's face. He frantically scrambled backward, pressing his back against the dark, frigid wall. The shadows covering the wall reached out and grabbed him with their claw-like tendrils, holding him in place.

"H-hold on!" Pegasus cried. "I did what you wanted! It's only morally correct that you let me live."

Bakura tilted his head to one side, a sinisterly coy expression on his grisly face.

"Who said I was morally correct?" the demon growled…and lunged at his victim.

**Creepy Bakura *shudders*…I hope you liked and please review :)! BTW, the beefy goon was Ushio and the purple-haired kid was Leon Schroder. I decided to save the motorcycle chase scene for next chapter because I'm still working out the details ^_^. That chapter will either be up tomorrow or Wednesday depending on how much time I have ^_^.**

**I DO NOT OWN YUGIOH OR GHOST RIDER**


	9. Squashing the Insect

**I DO NOT OWN YUGIOH OR GHOST RIDER**

**Chapter nine is up ^_^! I've changed a lot of things in this LOL.**

**Sailorblaze:**

**BlackRose: *Scrubbing furball Bakura down in a sink* Man…I don't think I'm ever going to get all the dirt out of Fluffy's fur!**

**Pinkie: *Walks in with a basket of multi-colored bows* This is going to be almost as fun as eating cupcakes!**

**BlackRose: Ugh…haven't we tortured him enough? *Pulls furball out of the water, dries his hair…and sees that his furry body has turned pink* HOLY RA!**

**Soul Reaper Yami: *Snickers* Now that I DID do…**

**Marik: Pharaoh! You put friggin red dye in Kura's conditioner? This is like Bad Hair Day all friggin over again!**

**Pinkie: *Squeals* He looks like me!**

**Atem's Sister Atea: Thanks ^_^! Hopefully, Valon and Raphael will have some sense knocked into them this chapter LOL ^_^. The purple-haired kid was Leon. He was thrown in jail for hacking into dueling computer systems (like he did in the show). Yami saying he was innocent meant that he was forced to do it (by his creep brother) and that his heart was not in the act. Poor Pegasus took one for the team XD… Happy holidays :)!**

**Aqua girl 007: Leon was put into jail because he hacked into duel tournament computer systems (like he did in the anime). Yami says he is innocent because his jerk brother made him do it so he did not commit the crime out of malice :). I hope your cold gets better ^_^.**

**VampiressBeauty20: **

**Dartz and Paradox: *Both running around in circles and screaming***

**BlackRose: *Walks in with Yami and Bakura* Hey you two!**

**Dartz and Paradox: *Both stop and look***

**BlackRose, Yami, and Bakura: *All three pull out snarling Kuribohs and start throwing them at Dartz and Paradox* Feel the wrath of the fluffy minions of doom!**

**Dartz and Paradox: NOOOOO!**

**MutantEnemy6789: Thanks :)! Pegasus and Cogsworth Fanclub…Oh Ra, mental picture! It BURNNNSSSS XD! **

**Sorceress of the nile: Thanks ^_^! The jailbreak is probably my favorite scene in the entire movie :).**

**Kender20: Thank you ^_^! Valon and Raphael are going to have quite the rude awakening LOL ^_^.**

**Sunrise Phoenix: Thanks ^_^! *Walks back in from calling Magician of Black Chaos and sees…Marik and Malik literally bouncing off the walls while Ryo, Yugi, and Mokuba roll on the floor laughing***

**BlackRose: What in the name of Osiris happened HERE?**

**Ryo: *Still laughing* W-we gave them cookies…**

**Yugi: And Mountain Dew!**

**BlackRose: Sweet Jumping Sarcophagus…**

**Magician of B Chaos: *Materializes in front of Phoenix and bows* How may I be of assistance?**

**Coka Cookie Cola: Thank you ^_^! I didn't really want to kill off Pegasus…but I couldn't really see him surviving that encounter with Bakura LOL. I always felt sorry for Pegasus, especially in the manga because he actually commits suicide in that version 0_0.**

**Dany14-black8: Thanks :)! **

**X**

Yami revved up his bike and grinned in satisfaction at the low growl it made. His sharp incisors flashed as the smirk twisted his lips and his fresh blood eyes flicked over every inch of the road ahead. He was zooming forward in a blaze of green fire through the streets of Domino City. He made sure to stick to the dark, desolate back roads filled with broken down cars and junk as much as possible to avoid pedestrians…however he could not seem to shake the entourage of red and blue flashing squad cars pursuing him.

The Reaper's smug grin widened. A challenge….this was going to be fun. He made a sharp turn down an ally way, going up on his back wheel as he headed into the friendlier part of town. He heard the cars behind him screech as they struggled to compensate, but they made the unexpected change in direction with a little effort.

Yami rode through the shop and café section of town, absently taking in his surroundings as he went. He was going so fast that the light-decorated restaurants and brightly advertised stores looked like comets surging past his vehicle, but his Orichalcos powers enhanced his vision so that when he needed to, he could focus in on certain structures…like the Kaiba Corp Headquarters building. Yami's Reaper senses were guiding him there…and that was where he was going to go.

Yami gunned the bike and made another sharp turn going toward the pier. The streets got more and more deserted as he went, cheery restaurants and fancy cars replaced with rusty warehouses and abandoned pieces of machinery. The old buildings had been there for as long as he could remember, their distinctive, white-painted numbers almost indiscernible against the corroded metal surfaces. This was probably the worst place he could have led the cops if he was trying to escape them on land…but he wasn't going to escape them….on land.

Grinning madly, the Reaper steered his metal steed towards a loading ramp that rested against the side of one of the warehouses…and several yards away from the bay. He road up the ramp, gunning the throttle for an extra burst of speed…and flew into the air. The squad cars shrieked as they skidded to a halt behind him, the cops driving them no doubt wondering what this madman was doing. That only made Yami's ghoulish smirk widen.

The Orichalcos Cycle soared through the air, landed on the obsidian water…and roared as its rider revved it up. It shot off over the moon-touched, glassy surface as if it were a speed boat rather than a land vehicle. Yami turned back and saluted the officers who were standing at the edge of the pier, gawking at their physics-defying quarry. He then threw his head back and unleashed a chilling, multi-toned laugh before setting his sights on his destination. His gleaming eyes could see the glowing "KC" of the Kaiba Corp tower…and he could smell the scent of darkness radiating from it.

X

Bakura smirked as he stepped out of the KCHQ glass doors. That little task had been easy…annoyingly so actually. He had hoped for a bit more resistance from Pegasus…it would have been so much fun to torment him. The demon stepped down the elegant concrete steps and past the trademark statue of the Blue Eyes White Dragon. The structure, usually beautiful in the light, looked rather grotesque silhouetted against the illuminated building lobby. That queerness was only accented by the coldness and silence that had fallen over this section of the city like a dismal shroud.

Two more auras of wickedness hit Bakura's senses, but he did not falter for a second. He knew all to well who they were. He passed an elegantly-trimmed tree and did not even look up as it began to tremble. A pair of round eyes appeared among the twisting limbs, followed by a familiar buzzing sound. Haga crawled out of the tree's woody concealment and went to hover beside his leader….though he said nothing. He knew better than to speak to Bakura right after a massacre. The demon got so out of control that he would often lunge at his own minions out of primal madness.

The duo passed a Blue-Eyes shaped fountain in the courtyard and paid no heed as its water began to flow and writhe in unnatural ways. The liquid washed out of the stone basin and swirled over the ground for a moment before forming into the humanoid form….of Ryota. The water demon cracked his neck, letting the scales and razor teeth absorb back into this body before joining his comrades in their walk. He obeyed the rule of silence as well. He'd been lunged at by Bakura before…in fact, that was how he acquired the scar on his chin.

After a few minutes, the lead Reaper halted suddenly. His cronies did the same, staring at him with quizzical expressions. Bakura tilted his head to one side…and let his eyes fade to black. He could sense another presence…one he recognized…one he loathed.

"Dartz's little pet is coming…" the Egyptian practically spat the words. "I am not at all in the mood to deal it." He spoke of Yami as if he were some crazed beast with no mind of its own.

He turned to the insect demon. "Haga. Deal with Yami. I have more important matters to attend to."

Haga gnashed his pincer-like teeth in irritation but knew better than to argue. He beat his wings even faster and started to buzz away…when his leader called out to him.

"Oh, and Haga…" the insect turned around. Bakura's mouth grew into his demonic gash of teeth, his eyes went completely dark. "Do not dare to fail me…"

Haga gulped and gave a slight nod before flying off into the ally ways several yards away from the KC building. This was it….the mission of truth. Either he would face Yami, kill him, and live another day…or, if Yami did not kill him, he would escape…only to be killed by Bakura.

X

Yami rode through a dark, desolate ally, red eyes scanning over every detail. He saw a few bony cats, graffiti-covered brick walls, rusty fire escapes, and lone dumpster…but nothing else. Still, his enemy's presence in the wind was so palpable that he might as well be able to see him. The Reaper halted, took one more look around…and froze. He could hear something…a voice riding on the wind.

"Yami….Yami…."

The Reaper froze and looked around. The scratchy voice was faint…so faint that it almost sounded as if it were in his head rather than the air. Then, a loud whistle behind him made him turn to see…nothing. His red eyes scanned over the passage behind him…but it only led to more dilapidated buildings.

Yami started to turn back around…when a powerful force collided with his black-clad chest. It sent him flying through the air, right into the windshield of a broken-down car. The glass smashed beneath his weight and his head slammed painfully against the metal frame.

Wicked laughter echoed throughout the street and the Reaper snarled. Bracing his hands on the frame, he squeezed so hard that the metal dented before pushing himself out of the broken mess that was once a windshield. He was sure his back would be covered in cuts when he reverted back to normal but he didn't care. All that mattered now…was locating his quarry.

Yami landed on the asphalt road, brushing a few shards of glass from his belt-clad shoulders and looking around. He saw nothing on the ground but a few empty beer cans. His crimson gaze wandered to the smelly dumpsters, up the creaking fire escapes, past the barred windows…until they landed on the flat top of a rather short building. Perching there, a sinister grin plastered on his face…was the insect demon, Haga.

He was in full form, with short, sharp teeth and solid green eyes that further enhanced his already bug-like appearance. A pair of black antennae stuck out of his green hair and silvery wings buzzed on the back of his green kimono. He must have, Yami realized, attacked from the air and immediately swooped out of sight. His skin was covered with a fine layer of light green scales that was almost impossible to see and when he spoke, his screechy voice made the insect illusion complete.

"Catch me if you can, Yami!" Haga cackled and flew off toward the Kaiba Corp tower.

"Very well," Yami grinned accordingly and sped off on his bike. He weaved in and out of the twisting alleys as if he were riding through a maze-like forest, leaving a trail of green fire rather than bread crumbs to mark his way. He briefly wondered what had happened to the cops…then cursed himself for doing so.

"Jinxed myself…" the youth muttered…as sirens and lights began to blare behind him.

Yami continued to twist in and out of sharp turns and corners, determined to throw off the lone squad car. He didn't want to have to worry about protecting someone from the rogue Reapers. No matter what he did, however, the red and blue flashing car stayed hot on his trail…so Yami decided to try something else.

The Reaper turned down a wider ally and finally broke out of the maze of buildings. He was now on the street heading towards the KC tower. He zoomed over the asphalt, setting more than one carefully-groomed tree ablaze, and bumped up the concrete steps to the courtyard. He was aiming…for a flat wall near the glass doors. Grinning like a Cheshire cat, the youth gunned the engine and pulled back on the handles so that he was riding on one wheel, green sparks flying from the vehicle. He hit the wall….and began to ride up the vertical side of the tower. He was pretty darn sure that the squad car wouldn't be able to follow him this way.

The bike's tires squealed and the engine screamed with effort, but it took him up the side of the tower with little resistance, leaving a charred trail of green embers in its path. He rode over a few windows, shattering them into pieces, before finally reaching the lip of the flat top. It was an area used for the famous Blue-Eyes White Jet. It wasn't there at the moment though…so the Kaiba brothers were probably not in the building.

Yami bounced over the lip of the surface and skidded to a screeching halt. The landing site was simple but effectual with a small mound rising from its flatness that served as an entrance into the building…or an exit out of it.

Yami dismounted his bike and casually stepped toward the edge of the jet landing. The city was a sea of lights and blackness, the sounds of traffic all blended together into white noise. For once, he could actually see the black sky, illuminated by a silvery moon and millions of diamond-like stars. The air was cooler up here….but maybe that was just his form. Smirking, the Reaper let his gaze travel down to the KC building courtyard. There were dozens of squad cars down there now, all swarming together like vultures to a carcass. The one that had chased him all the way into the courtyard hadn't moved…but both its driver and passenger doors were wide open. Whoever had been in it…had gotten out.

Yami frowned slightly and scanned the scene more carefully. Cops were still pulling in around the building, a few opening their doors…but no one was standing around in the courtyard. It was just as desolate as it had been when he got there. There was no where the cops in that car could have gone….unless….

Yami closed his eyes as the realization hit him. They must have gone inside the KC building. As Domino City police, they could probably gain access to otherwise restricted areas when pursuing a suspect….which meant….

The door near the edge of the tower slammed open, bouncing once against its frame from the powerful force behind it. The youth smirked and crossed his glyph-engraved arms over his chest. He only knew one human who could generate that kind of force.

"We are officers of the DCPD!" Raphael growled as he emerged, gun first, from the entrance. His body was so huge, that Yami amusedly thought he was going to get stuck in the doorway. "You are under arrest for destruction of city property!"

"Not to mention reckless driving…." Mumbled an Australian-accented voice. Valon stepped out from behind his partner's mammoth form, a gun clenched in his own skilled hands. The weapon seemed more intimidating when it was held by him. In Raphael's meaty hands…it looked rather like a water pistol.

Yami chuckled and raised a single, ebony eyebrow. He knew they didn't recognize him, especially up here. The pallid moonlight made his skin even whiter than it already was and the green Atlantian symbols covering his body stood out against his darker-than-normal clothing.

"Somethin' funny, wise guy?" Raphael growled as both cops began to close in. They were only a few yards away now…and the Reaper noticed something different about them. There was no fear in their eyes or in their auras. They were filled with courage and a determination to protect their city rather than self interest. Yami could respect that….even though they had handled his suspicion badly.

He opened his mouth to say something…and closed it in the same instance. Another presence hit him…cold…dark…evil….and fast approaching. The youth's heart nearly stopped in its tracks.

"Look out!" Yami shouted and lunged toward the cops. He slammed both his arms into them, knocking them flat onto the ground…right as Haga zoomed in for an attack. The bug demon slammed into Yami and clung to him, driving his back into the ground. The youth hissed in pain when his shoulder blades struck the hard cement.

Snarling, Haga dipped down and tried to sink his sharp teeth into his opponent's neck. Yami's pale hand shot up, however, and grabbed the little demon by his own throat before his fangs could make contact with the skin. He head-butted Haga, making himself dizzy in the process but successfully getting the creature off him.

Yami leapt to his feet and cast a quick glance at the officers. There were staring at the demon battle in a state of shock…but seemed to be unharmed, save for a few scrapes. He decided to ignore them and focus on Haga, who was starting some sinister speech.

"Just you wait, Dartz's little pet…" the insect grinned cruelly. "Once we gain the Treaty of Kul Elna…we'll have power unimaginable. You and your Orichalcos fire will be feeble compared to us. You'll be a mere footnote in the history of a new hell on earth. Actually….you won't be in the footnote….you'll be in the obituary!"

Haga sprang forward, teeth bared and a horrid shriek ripping from his throat. Black stingers sprouted from his fingers like claws and he slashed at his enemy. Yami was so surprised by the attack that he didn't get out of the way in time…and the stinger claws slashed a four-pronged gash in his belt-wrapped arm. He bit back a yelp and leapt backwards, clutching painfully at the wound. It felt like a massive bee sting, aching from both the cut and the poison.

Haga cackled shrilly and hovered backward a few yards. He lifted his arm, hauled back, and unleashed a wave of green energy. Yami was momentarily confused by this. He knew that the demon knew Orichalcos magic could not harm him… Then...the Reaper's heart skipped a beat. The attack wasn't meant to strike him…it was meant for the cops.

The green energy made contact and Valon and Raphael went flying forward…and over the tower's edge. The youth cursed, tore off his chain, and sprinted to the landing's lip. He cast his chain downward like a lasso, holding his breath and praying that his aim was true. The chain whipped down…curled…and wrapped around the two cops' torsos, stopping their death fall. Yami let out the breath he'd been holding. Grunting with effort, he pulled back on the chain and successfully hauled both men back up to safety.

Raphael and Valon both scrambled away from the tower's ledge and collapsed on the ground, panting with relief and exhaustion. Yami was exhausted too, both from the exertion of pulling them up and the worry. All three men's shoulders heaved up and down for several moments, no sound being made save for their ragged breathing. To Yami's surprise, it was Raphael who broke the silence.

"You…you saved us…."

Valon nodded in agreement and looked up. "Why? Who are you?"

The Reaper stood up a little straighter and looked down at both of them with those piercing blood eyes. They were cold and grimly serious. "I told you. I do not kill good people. Remember?"

They looked confused at first, then seemed to simultaneously remember those words. Both men looked at each other, then back at him. "Mutou?" they asked in unison. Their faces were so comically confused that Yami almost cracked a smile…but he made his expression remain stony.

"I did not murder those people…" he continued. "But I know who did. He is—"

Before the duelist could finish his sentence, a buzzing sound zoomed in behind him and white hot pain shot through his shoulder. He snarled in pain, staggering backward as Haga clung to his back and bit his shoulder like some rabid animal. He turned and shook and flailed his glowing arms…but nothing could get the demon off his back. Nothing except…

"Turn, mate!" Valon shouted, pulling his gun from his holster. "Turn so that your side is facing me!"

Yami did and the officer fired his weapon. The bullets did about as much damage as a paintball gun would but they stung enough to make Haga let go. The insect flew backward, wobbling slightly in the air as he clutched at his own shoulder where the bullet had bruised him.

Blood dripped from the Reaper's shoulder, which surprised him. If he was bleeding in this enhanced form…he didn't want to know how bad it was as a mortal. Yami had finally had enough. He was going to get rid of this cursed little creature no matter what. Growling, the Reaper snapped his chain…and grinned as the green fire swam along it, writhing on the metal as if it were alive. The Millennium Puzzle glowed…and the Reaper saw a flash of fear in his enemy's eyes.

Haga tried to fly away…but it was too late. Yami swung the chain and grinned as it wrapped snakelike around the demon's torso. The emerald flames powered by the Puzzle glowed and consumed their victim, drowning his howls in the whirr of their power. Finally, Haga…dissolved into ash…like a piece of wood engulfed in flames. The ashes fluttered down to the ground and glowed with green embers for a moment. Then…they vanished into the wind.

The Reaper smirked in satisfaction. Two down…two to go. He swung the chain so that it wrapped around his torso, where it belonged. Then, he raised his arms over his head, gave a casual stretch, and was about to walk back over to his bike…when he remembered the cops.

They both approached him, looking more than a little shell-shocked. Yami smirked and crossed his arms. It was so ironic. After all they'd done to make his life hell…they were the ones who had given him the advantage he needed to win this battle.

Regaining his composure, Raphael narrowed his honey-colored brows and pointed his gun at Yami. "You're under arrest, Yami Mutou, for—"

"Raph…" Valon reached out and placed his hand on the muzzle of the gun. He lowered it and grinned at his partner's incredulous expression. "Chill out, all right? This guy saved us. He saved us when he had no call to do so. Those aren't the actions of a cold-blooded killer."

The other man glared. "He could be trying to trick us. What if he saved us just to get on our good side?"

"Come on…" the brunette rolled his eyes. "He already escaped from prison and I'm sure he could take on the entire police force at once if he wanted to. What need does he have to get on our good side?"

Raphael opened his mouth to argue again….but no words came out. He seemed to absorb what his partner had said…and realize that it made sense. He closed his mouth and averted his cold blue eyes as if he were ashamed.

"As I said before…" Yami began. "I know who the real killer is….and I am the only one capable of stopping him."

Valon grinned, his aqua eyes twinkling. "Well then go, mate! Go get him!"

The Reaper looked back and forth between the two cops for a long moment. Valon was still beaming and Raphael had finally looked up from the ground. His expression was softer…not quite a smile…but softer nonetheless.

"Thank you…." Yami muttered and nodded to each of them.

He then walked over to his bike, mounted it, and started to ride over the shadow-blanketed landing site. As he went, the vehicle began to sink lower and lower into the shadowed surface as if he were riding on quick sand. He had to go see Ironheart…to figure out what he was supposed to do to get rid of these demons once and for all.

Once the Reaper had completely vanished into darkness, the Australian let out a whistle of admiration.

"I tell ya, mate…" Valon chuckled. "I wish I could sink down into the shadows like that. It'd be a cinch to make it to role call in the morning!"

Raphael rolled his eyes.

**I've majorly twisted and changed things around, but it'll all work out. You'll find out what Tea has been doing next chapter ^_^. I hope you liked and please review ^_^!**

**I DO NOT OWN YUGIOH OR GHOST RIDER**


	10. Finding a Weakness

**I DO NOT OWN YUGIOH OR GHOST RIDER**

**Here's chapter ten ^_^! I think this is going to be the longest fic I've ever done LOL XD. By the way, I messed up at the very end of last chapter. Yami does not know that Ironheart is Ironheart yet. All he knows is that he's the groundskeeper. Sorry about that XD.**

**Sailorblaze:**

***Tv blaring "My Little Duelist, My Little Duelist" while pony versions of the YGO characters prance around***

**BlackRose: *Pounding on the screen* Grrrr…this is just like the part in the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory movie when that television obsessed kid got stuck in the tv at the very end…we've got to get them out!**

**Pinkie: Why? Pony Land it wonderful!**

**BlackRose: But there are no card games! I'm not sure they'll survive without card games!**

**Sailorblaze: Well, how are we going to get them out?**

**BlackRose: *Bows head mysteriously* I think our only hope…lies in the Magician of Black Chaos.**

***Cue the ominous music* ^_^**

**Vampiressbeauty20: Thanks :)!**

**Dartz and Paradox: *Glowering as they are now covered in mascara, lip gloss, and blush* Really? Was this absolutely necessary?**

**BlackRose: Not only was it necessary, but it's not over. Boys!**

***Yami and Bakura walk in***

**Dartz: *Worried* What are THEY doing?  
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**BlackRose: *Grins as Yami and Bakura both pull out two pairs of sparkly pink fairy wings and walk over to the villains***

**Dartz and Paradox: NOOOOO!**

**BlackRose: And also, I have some people who would like to have a word with you *Walks out of the room. Comes back with the brothers from Season One, Para and Dox***

**Para and Dox: *Both glare at Paradox**

**Para: You stole our name! You dare cross our path?**

**Dox: Fools! You both shall feel our wrath!**

**Princesskisara: Thanks :)! Tea's not mad at him, she's just worried XD. She'll kind of figure things out for herself…but she'll be kidnapped before she can talk to Yami about it.**

**Sorceress of the nile: Thank you ^_^!**

**Aqua girl 007: Thanks ^_^! I am always unsure about whether or not the action scenes are descriptive enough or not, so I appreciate the complement ^_^.**

**Atem's Sister Atea: Thank :)! Yup, the cops got some sense knocked into them…literally XD. Haha, yeah I wish I could travel through the shadows also. It'd make getting a good seat at the movies so much easier LOL! Bakura may not have seen that Yami is in love with Tea…but he has sent a certain water demon to spy on Yami's home *ominous music* ^_^.**

**Kender20: Thanks ^_^! Ding dong the bug is dead XD! Poor Tea's about to have a rough time…**

**Sunrise Phoenix: Thanks ^_^! *Turns to the kitchen which is in ruins* Marik! Malik! If you two don't calm down I'm not driving you around to see the Christmas lights!**

**Marik and Malik: *Are both swinging around on the ceiling fan while the other Chibis laugh hysterically***

**BlackRose: I'm going to count to three! One….two…thr…Oh, forget it… *Walks out of the room* **

**Chibi Mako: What's wrong?**

**BlackRose: The psycho brothers are trashing my kitchen.**

**Chibi Mako: Want me to deal with them?**

**BlackRose: If you think you can.**

**Chibi Mako: *Grins* Can I bring my harpoon?**

**BlackRose: Oh, sure, why not?**

**MutantEnemy6789: Thanks :)! Valon's probably one of my favorite minor characters ^_^.**

**Coka Cookie Cola: Haha, more epic battles this way come XD! ^_^**

**X**

_It is dark in this void…cold…oppressive…petrifying. The silence hanging over the space is so thick she feels like she can reach out and touch it. Her heart is pounding, her mind silently begging for something, anything to fill the soundless abyss. She feels a strange, burning coldness on her face…one that cannot be accounted for…but she decides not to ponder it. She continues to look at her bleak, desolate surroundings. Then…she sees two figures in the midst of the darkness. One is familiar…spiky hair…slim form….Yami! Relief floods through her…until she sees the other figure. This one radiates with evil energy…a thin form with shaggy hair and a flowing coat. The two men draw close enough for her to see their faces. Yami's…is contorted, pale and harsh with glowing red eyes, his skin engraved with strange symbols. The villain's face is hard with hatred, his lips twisted into a vampiric smile. The two stare at each other for a moment…then clash in battle and she screams. She doesn't want that long-haired man, that demon, to hurt Yami. The villain raises his sickly pale hand and claws sprout like knives from his fingertips. She screams again as he brings his hand down to drive the daggers into Yami's heart…but before he does so, she hears her voice on the wind._

_ "Tea…Tea…_Tea!"

Tea yelped…and sat up on the couch, knocking the remote off her stomach onto the floor. She was in the Kame Game Shop living room, the television on the news channel and light streaming in through the windows. The girl breathed shallowly, her body slicked with nightmare-induced sweat. A single tear slid out of the corner of her eye and dripped onto the carpeted floor. That surprised her. She didn't recall weeping in her dream…

"Tea you okay?" the voice made Tea jump and she turned. There, sitting on his knees at the edge of the sofa, was Yugi. His large purple eyes were even wider with worry.

Tea was a little confused at first. She looked around…saw the familiar furniture…the pale walls bright with sunlight…Yami's ipod sitting on a side table….Yami….she gasped as the memories came flooding back. Yami had been taken by the police the previous night and had ordered her to stay here. She had…and after a few miserable hours of hiding in a back closet, she came out. She turned on the news channel…and saw a terrifying sight. Someone…or something was riding through the city on a hellish motorcycle, leaving a trail of fire in its path. The police had been pursuing the rogue rider for ages…but nothing could seem to catch up with him. Watching that broadcast, Tea realized what Yami had said… "I become this….monster…." That was it then…it had to be Yami…and it seemed as though he was having trouble controlling his curse. Or maybe…maybe he was simply being misunderstood. Maybe there was something much bigger going on here….

"Tea?" Yugi's voice made the girl jump again. "I had to work late last night at the Duelist School. I came home and found you asleep on the couch. What exactly happened?"

Tea felt her cheeks go red. Poor Yugi…he'd come home and probably had a near heart attack when he saw the girl catatonic on his sofa. "Well…I came over to see Yami and…" her voice trailed off and her heart nearly stopped. "Wait a minute…has Yami come home yet?'

"No…" the boy shook his head, tired eyes shadowed with worry. "I haven't seen him in an entire day now…and that's really weird…"

The dancer nodded but it was an absent-minded gesture. There were no reports about "Hell on Wheels", as the obnoxious reporters were calling him, appearing after dawn…which meant he had probably reverted back to normal. If that was the case…where on earth was he?

"I'm really worried, Tea…" Yugi mumbled, interrupting her thoughts. He was squeezing and twisting the hem of his light blue pajama shirt as if that could relieve his fears. "His behavior, it's…gotten worse lately. I haven't seen much of him in the last few says…I think those stupid books he's been reading have finally gotten to him. What if he's joined some crazy occult group or thinks he can bring Grandpa back from the dead and is going to do something completely insane or—"

"Yugi…" Tea placed a hand on his shoulder, her azure eyes filled with calmness. "Yami is his own person. I highly doubt he'd let himself be dragged into a group of subordinates and I never got the sense that he's so stuck on your grandfather's death that he can't except it. We will find him. I promise you. But in order to help him, we need to figure out what he's going through before we crash headlong into it. Okay?'

Yugi let out a breath and nodded slowly. It seemed as though her serene voice had calmed him…if only it could calm her too. "Okay…" he said and stood up. He pointed to a corner of the room…and the girl saw a large pile of books strewn there. "Those are the books he studies. C'mon, let's go through them."

Tea nodded and watched as Yugi trudged over to the stack. She felt bad about not telling him the truth…but she didn't know if Yami wanted his little brother to be aware of it yet. Plus…why would he even believe her? She certainly wouldn't have believed it if Yami hadn't shown her the emerald fire… The girl sighed softly. She wanted to help Yami so badly….but first she had to see if she could understand what was happening to him. She would not be any help if she blundered on the scene with complete ignorance.

Running her fingers through her hair, Tea got up from the couch and started over to where Yugi was sitting. As she went…she halted suddenly…and traced her fingertips over her cheek….over the place where that lone sleep tear had slid down. It had a slight burn to it…like someone had poured freezing water onto her skin. This made her think back to that awful dream she'd had…to the white-haired villain. Just who was he? She'd never seen him before in her life…and he was too real to just be something her frazzled mind had made up…It gave her the creeps more than she could say…but the dancer didn't have time to ponder it. She had to help Yugi save his brother…if she could.

X

Ryota grinned to himself as he hovered outside the Kame Game Shop window. He could clearly see the two mortals inside the living room…the girl and the younger brother…but they could not see him. Well…they actually could see him…but they could not recognize him for what he was. He had taken the form of soft mist on the Shop window….so that he could easily carry out the mission Bakura had assigned his last living Reaper. Bakura had told Ryota that they needed to find a weakness of Yami Mutou's…and the water demon had just found two.

Ryota had come in the night before while Haga was battling Yami and found the girl asleep on the couch. She had been whimpering softly as the first shadows of a nightmare began to taint her dreams. She murmured a name….a name which made the demon's black heart skip a beat. Yami….

Ryota had reached down with his wet, icy fingers and placed them against her forehead, gazing into her mind and soul. She was filled with such light and purity that it sickened him to gaze upon her spirit for too long…so he moved to her mind instead. The girl's nightmares had her trapped in some black abyss…and she was gazing upon Yami in the distance. Ryota had grinned, deciding to test what he already suspected. He'd conjured the image of Bakura into the vision…and made him kill Yami brutally. As he thought…the girl screamed in horror, crying out the name…of the man she loved…of the man….who loved her.

Ryota allowed himself a mental chuckle, continuing to gaze upon the soon-to-be victims. They were now flipping through a pile of books in the corner of the room, the brother talking intently while the girl gave absent nods. She kept looking around, rubbing her cheek….and he could see the fear in her eyes. The girl suspected something. Ryota's wet fingers had accidentally left a droplet of icy liquid on her face…and she had obviously noticed it. It didn't matter though…once the water demon gave his report, Bakura would come for her….and there was nothing she could do about it.

X

Yami pulled his motorcycle to a stop on the dirt road that led into the graveyard where he'd learned about his Soul Reaper problem. It was the afternoon now and his Reaper power had long-since worn off…but that did not change the fears in his heart. He had to figure out how to get rid of the demons…before they hurt anyone else. And there was only one person…who could answer that question.

Stretching his tired muscles, the duelist trudged over the grass and through the labyrinth of tombstones. The sun was covered with a fine layer of light grey clouds but it was still bright enough for him to make out the names engraved into the slabs. The names were unfamiliar…but the titles made his heart twist with a common pain. "Kind-hearted Mother" … "Loving Father"…. "Beloved….Grandfather"….

Yami sighed and dropped his chin against his chest. He wished he could see Grandpa….that he could talk to him, ask him what he was supposed to do to solve this crisis…but he could not…and it was his own fault. The youth's blood eyes stung slightly and he closed them, holding the tears back.

Suddenly….a pair of arms wrapped around him. Shock flooded through his system and his eyes snapped open, thinking that Grandpa was somehow here after all… that he had come back from the world of the dead to help him….but alas that was not the case.

Kris stood there, her arms wound around his waist and her round face beaming up at him. "Hi there! I was worried I wouldn't see you again!" her brown eyes sparkled sweetly and the Reaper couldn't help but smile…though his heart ached.

Yami ruffled her chestnut hair. "I came to talk to your grandfather," he explained. "Is he around?"

"Of course he's around!" Kris laughed as if it were a silly question. "Come on, I'll take you to him."

The little girl led Yami around the church to a side courtyard. The area was grassy, filled with a few broken tombstones, logs…and the groundskeeper, hacking away at pieces of wood with an axe. Sky sat next to him, holding a smaller log in between her sharp teeth. Whenever the old man stopped chopping, he would take the stick and throw it, chuckling as she ran after it with the excitement of a puppy.

When she saw Yami, Skye gave a happy whine and trotted up to him, wagging her tail in greeting. The youth grinned and scratched her ears. Whining, the wolf dropped the stick into his hand and did a quick circle, her tail wagging even faster than before. Yami smiled, threw the stick, and laughed as Skye galloped after it. He then turned his attention to the old man.

He had stopped chopping and was standing there, leaning against his tall walking stick. His face was wrinkled with a small, enigmatic smile, his eyes twinkling with wisdom.

"Hey, kid. You look even more troubled than you were the day I met you."

The youth snorted in response. That was no surprise to him. The day he'd come here…he hadn't known anything. Now…he felt as though he knew far too much.

"They know who I am…." Yami muttered, deciding not to play around with niceties.

"Who?"

"The demons, two cops, the love of my life…they know my identity and my…secret identity."

"Mmmm…." The groundskeeper said nothing. He strolled out of the grassy courtyard and started to walk around the church.

The duelist followed him. "When is this going to end?"

"It will end if you can catch Bakura…." The groundskeeper chuckled.

Yami halted in his tracks and stared at the old man, blood eyes narrowed. He was tired of dancing…of skirting around the question he really wanted to ask.

"What's really going on?"

The man stopped and turned slowly to look at him. His face shone with that mysterious smile again…that glint of profound knowledge. With a slow, deliberate movement, he inclined his head in the direction of a small, humble gravestone next to him. Yami ventured closer so that he could see the name.

"Ironheart?" he cocked an ebony eyebrow. He remembered the name from last time…but he had learned so much that day that the details were fuzzy.

The old man grinned and nodded. "He was Dartz's father…a man of honor. He loved his kingdom and its people…and he cared about his son…but try as he might, he could not purge the evil from Dartz's heart. When Dartz replaced him on the throne of Atlantis and started recruiting Soul Reapers…Ironheart decided to take a risk. He took the Orichalcos stone's Test to see if he was strong enough to wield its power. If so…he would use it against his son's evil…if not…he would willingly lose his life trying. He took the Test…and passed. He found out about the other Reapers drawing up the Treaty of Kul Elna and he went through the shadows to confront them before they could bring it back to Dartz. He knew…that if Dartz were to get his hands on that document…on all those souls of pure evil…then the Great Leviathan would be dangerously close to completion. So…he faced the Reapers…took the document…and fled far away from his son's vision…with the Treaty of Kul Elna."

"He stole it…" Yami murmured and his mentor nodded.

"Some people say he was buried with it…."

"Was he?"

"I don't know…" the groundskeeper gave the reply rather curtly, keeping his black eyes locked on the tombstone. "What I do know is that Bakura is coming and he will do anything to get his hands on it." He looked up. That twinkle had vanished from his black eyes, replaced by shadows of solemnity. "That is why it is vital that you stay away from friends…family…anyone he can use against you."

"Tea…." Yami felt his mouth go dry. He had left her all alone at his house last night….and who knew what had happened to her since?

Heart pounding, Yami turned and took off toward his motorcycle, ignoring the old man's protests. He had to find Tea and his brother…before it was too late.

X

Tea paced around the living room, holding one of the last, untouched books in her trembling hands. She was so tired…she'd had three cups of coffee to keep herself awake over the many hours she and Yugi had spent researching. She had found curses, hexes, and magic of all kinds…but very little on Yami's particular problem. It was discouraging…but she had to keep going.

Yugi was still sitting on the floor, flipping through his own pile of books. He'd gotten dressed in dark blue pants and a black tank top that looked like it might belong to his brother and had been working just as diligently all day with Tea. His violet eyes were droopy with sleep and his body slumped…but he refused to take a break, no matter how much the girl urged.

Tea sighed and turned the page, ready to throw aside the book she was reading…when something caught her eye. The book explained Atlantian history and mythology…and she was now looking at a paragraph that explained an evil power…one that consumed some of its victims…but gave others enhanced abilities. The girl halted in her tracks. She scanned over the words, now fully awake. This could be it…this could be what they'd been looking for all day.

Yugi sighed loudly and stood up. "I'm going to get some more coffee…you want some?"

The dancer shook her head absently, keeping her azure eyes locked on the page. She couldn't believe that they'd spent all day going through this stuff…and the answers had been right here in this book all along. Yami's curse, it seemed, was some ancient, evil Atlantian power…one that was very little understood. It turned most people into mindless, crazed beasts….but some could wield it at the cost of being forever tainted with evil. Forever…tainted…

A chill ran over Tea's bare arms and she rubbed her hand over one of them. Yugi had only walked a few feet away…when he suddenly cried out.

"Hey! Who are you and how did—" his words were cut off suddenly.

Tea's head snapped up….just in time to see Yugi being violently struck. He went flying across the room and slammed against the wall before sliding down to the floor…unconscious. The girl whirled around to where he'd just been standing…and could swear that her heart stopped.

Standing there….blood red robe swirling around him and mouth twisted into a heartless grin….was the man from her nightmare. He had shoulder-length, white, shaggy hair, dark skin that looked Egyptian, and pale blue eyes that were colder than ice. A jagged scar ran over one of those glacial eyes and his entire being seemed to pulsate with evil.

Tea dropped the book she was holding and stared at him in terror. Her breath was coming out in short clouds of mist in front of her face, matching the frantic beat of her heart. The room's temperature had dropped so low that it felt as though she was standing in a glacier…but she was far too scared to be bothered by the cold.

The man stepped towards her and she tried to run…but found that her legs were rooted to the spot. Tea couldn't move…she couldn't do anything. He came right up to her and searched her face with those icy eyes. The fear in the girl's heart grew to astronomical heights and the stranger licked his lips, as if her terror tantalized him.

"You have his heart…" he murmured, his voice gravelly and accented.

The snowy-haired demon lifted his arm…and caressed her cheek with the back of his hand. The gesture would have seemed almost tender…if it was not for the burning coldness that spread across her cheek from his touch.

"Now…" he said, his lips twisting to show teeth like fangs. "I am going to break it…"

X

Yami threw open the glass door of the Game Shop and raced inside. Immediately…he could tell that something was horribly wrong. It was freezing inside…and a heavy, unnatural silence shrouded the entire establishment. The bells above the door that usually jingled so cheerfully…now seemed like a haunting scream in a soundless void.

Heart pounding, Yami started up the steps to the living quarters of the building. It was dark inside, with neither natural nor generated light to illuminate it. It almost seemed like some of the blackness of the night sky had flowed into his home…along with that terrible coldness. It got worse the higher he climbed…as did the fear stabbing at his heart. Yugi's car was in the driveway and Tea's shoes still rested in the doorway…so they were here. Why weren't they making any sound?

The duelist quickened his pace until he reached the second floor and headed into the kitchen. He didn't want to take the obvious route straight into the living room…in case something or…someone was waiting for him. The air was almost unbearably frigid, making his breath come out in clouds.

Yami went through the kitchen, into the doorway that led to the living room….and froze. There….lying at the wall….was his little brother.

"Yugi!" Yami rushed to the boy's side and knelt down next to him. He placed two fingers to the boy's neck. He was unconscious…but he still had a pulse.

The duelist breathed a sigh of relief and stood up. He scanned the living room. It was even darker than the rest of the house…and bitterly frigid. Cautiously, he crept away from Yugi, around the couch…and gasped.

"Tea!"

The girl was lying on the ground, her chest heaving up and down with rapid, shallow breaths. Her azure eyes were open wide, her skin grey. Yami knelt down at her side and took her face between his hands. Her skin was colder than ice.

"I'm here…" he whispered comfortingly, but her eyes still remained wide and fixed straight ahead. "What…."

Tea raised her arm and pointed ahead of her. The duelist looked up….just in time to see Bakura lunging at him. The demon gave a shrill snarl, his jagged fangs bared, and grabbed Yami's shoulders. He slammed him against the wall and the youth hissed in pain as his back struck the hard surface. Bakura's hands burned against his shoulders…just like Dartz's had.

Anger bubbled up within Yami and he allowed his Reaper form to take over. He snarled back at Bakura and grabbed the demon's arms. The Seal of Orichalcos burned on his forehead, its green light casting an eerie glow on the shadowed corner. Yami forced himself forward, twisting his enemy's arms and turning so that Bakura was the one slammed up against the wall. He hissed, showing his glinting fangs and his glowing red eyes narrowed into slits as he gazed into the ebony black orbs of the demon.

Bakura gave a small whimper of fear…and the whimper turned into a mocking laugh. "I'm not like my lackeys, you fool!" he snarled. "I am far stronger!"

To emphasize his point, the demon's hand shot out and seized his captor's throat. Yami felt as though frigid fire was dancing along his skin, his lungs barely getting any air.

"I guess Dartz sent you to take care of me…" Bakura sneered, a taunting smile twisting his grotesque gash of a mouth. "If that is the case…he is an even larger fool than you are!"

The demon pulled Yami away from the wall and pushed him roughly down to the floor, not relinquishing his grip on his throat. The youth gagged and tried to pull his enemy's hand away…but the evil Reaper was far too strong.

"He really thinks that you are better than me?" Bakura asked, his gravelly voice sinking even lower. "I don't know who is more pathetic…you….or him." He squeezed Yami's neck harder and finally, the duelist could not maintain his Soul Reaper form any longer.

Yami groaned and let humanity wash over him once again…and Bakura let go of his throat, smirking as he coughed and gulped in the frigid oxygen. The cold air made Yami's throat sore…but it wasn't like his neck condition could get much worse after the vice treatment.

"Now listen to me and try to get this through that thick skull of yours…" Bakura growled, his demonic face hovering over the Reaper. His skin was still pale, his eyes black, and his mouth ghastly. "You do not work for Dartz anymore. You work for me. Get the Treaty of Kul Elna from the groundskeeper, bring it to me, and I might spare your girl's life."

Yami glared up at him, squeezing his hands into fists…but he could do nothing. His body was sore and weak from all the pummeling. He was feeling both Bakura's attacks and the wounds Haga had inflicted upon him the previous night…he hated the feeling of helplessness.

"Oh, and Yami…." The demon's black eyes wandered to Tea. She was still lying on the floor, her form trembling. She stared at Bakura with hatred and fear in her cerulean eyes…but it seemed that she was too weak to move as well.

"Don't make me wait…."Bakura completed, his eyes meeting the duelist's again.

He then stood up and went over to Tea. She whimpered as the demon scooped her into his cold arms…but she could do nothing to fight him.

Yami stared at his enemy from his floor position, hatred twisting his heart. He wanted nothing more than to go Soul Reaper and tear the demon limb from limb…to make him suffer for every second of terror he'd caused Tea….but he could do none of those things. His body felt like a mass of lead and pain, rooted to his spot on the carpet.

All Yami could do…was watch in helpless fear…as Bakura carried the woman he loved into the darkness.

**Okay, Yami, time to get a move on XD! I hope you liked and please review ^_^! BTW, I'm going to take a while to think about the sequel because it will probably be more of my own story loosely based on the video game rather than a rewrite of Ghost Rider 2 (which does not come out until February). Therefore, I probably won't start on it for a few months :).**

**I DO NOT OWN YUGIOH OR GHOST RIDER**


	11. Point of No Return

**I DO NOT OWN YUGIOH OR GHOST RIDER**

**Here's chapter eleven ^_^! Once I finish this story, Vampiressbeauty20 and I are working together on a Revolutionshipping story. It is going to be based on the Little Mermaid with some major Orichalcos twists ^_^. The story will be posted under Vampiressbeauty20's profile if anyone is interested in reading it ^_^.**

**BlackRose: *Pounding on the tv screen* Blaze! Agh….we've GOT to get them out of there! It won't be long before they're baking cupcakes and flying around with Starcatcher and Sky Wishes!**

**Magician of Black Chaos: All right…stand back *raises his staff*.**

**DMG: *Jumps in the way* Hold on! I've got this!**

**BlackRose: Dark Magician Girl, no!**

**DMG: *Casts spell and releases YGO characters from the television…as well as every single My Little Pony in existence***

**Pinkie: Yay! All my friends are here!**

**Marik: It's a friggin dream come true!**

**Bakura: *Eye twitching* Can't…handle…so…much…bloody….cute… *turns into Psycho Demon Bakura***

**Atem's Sister Atea: Ironheart used his power to keep Kris and Skye alive along with him ^_^. Of course you can help Yami beat the snot out of Bakura ^_^.**

**Aqua girl 007: Yup…Yami's about to go season 0 on Bakura LOL XD. Aw, I think you should definitely post your Kickass story ^_^. I don't think anyone has done anything like that yet, so it would be something cool and different ^_^.**

**MutantEnemy6789: Yeah, Nicolas Cage is still going to be Ghost Rider ^_^. Haha, REAPER CRUSH! ^_^**

**Kender20: Thanks ^_^! Yami's going to knock Bakura into Gotham City XD.**

**Twilight PhoenixFyre: Thanks ^_^! Haha, yep the bug is squashed and Pegasus is soulless LOL. I killed off Kaiba in my last big project so I couldn't bear to do it again XD. I am definitely changing the ending (the movie ending is AWFUL) and I will probably start on a sequel some time after January :). Alistair will be mentioned near the end ^_^**

**Vampiressbeauty20: **

**Yami and Bakura: *Come running through the room, screaming***

**BlackRose: What in the name of Ra are you two doing?**

**Yami: RUN! Dartz and Paradox have become fairy-wing-wearing VAMPIRES!**

**BlackRose: Well, did you do anything to stop them?**

**Bakura: RA, NO! We ran away as fast as we could!**

**BlackRose: *Facepalms* All right….let me see what I can do… *Disappears…comes back riding the Red Eyes Black Dragon* Take this you fairy, single-appearance, villains!**

**Vampire Dartz and Paradox: EEEEEEKKK! *Run away from Red Eyes flame***

**Coka Cookie Cola: Haha, I agree about Bakura (in both scenarios) XD. Yami is going to knock to tomb robber into next week for messing with his girl ^_^.**

**Twili Wolf: Thank you ^_^! Yugioh is my favorite show and Ghost Rider is my favorite super hero ^_^.**

**X**

Ten minutes after Bakura left, Yami was finally able to force his ragged body to rise up from the carpet. The coldness hovering in the room had left as had some of the darkness….but the anger and fear was only growing worse. He had taken her….that horrid, black-hearted demon had taken the girl he loved…and the only way to get her back was to hand over the one object in the world that would give Bakura ultimate power—the Treaty of Kul Elna.

Groaning, Yami stumbled and caught himself against the wall, which was no longer icy cold. His entire body was racked with fatigue and pain. His shoulder and arm ached from being bitten and stung by Haga and his back hurt from being slammed against so many hard objects. Still, he had to look past the physical discomfort…and set things right again. Blinking rapidly to clear his vision, the youth scanned the room. It was still reasonably dark from the night sky, but he could make out shapes in the darkness. He saw the television….the sofa….and Yugi, still catatonic by the wall.

The duelist trudged over to where his brother had been lying for goodness knew how long. Yugi was sprawled on his stomach, his head tilted to one side, his face strangely serene. Yami knelt down and gently shook the boy, feeling the worry bubble up inside him. He would never forgive himself if Yugi died because of his mistake….because of his curse.

Yugi moaned softly and curled his fingers into fists. Relief flooded through the elder brother as the younger furrowed his brows in a silent command for whoever was shaking him to go away and let him sleep. Yami did not heed the order. He rolled Yugi onto his back, then grabbed the boy's shoulders and lifted him up so that he was sitting with his back against the wall. He shook his shoulders again.

"Yugi…come on, brother, you've got to get up."

The younger Mutou gave a groan of protest, but his large eyes remained stubbornly shuttered. The Reaper felt a pang of guilt at this…he knew Yugi must be in pain…that he probably had a major migraine…but the boy had to get up. Finally, Yami decided to try a trick that worked about ninety percent of the time.

"Yugi…." He whispered into the boy's ear. "That punk from school, Sozoji, is in our room and he's about to deface your Kuriboh plushie…he's pulling out a permanent marker…oh no, he's going to draw on him—"

"No!" Yugi's violet eyes shot open and he leapt to his feet. The quick movement immediately made him dizzy and Yami had to catch his little sibling's arm to keep him from fainting again.

Yugi shook his head…blinked….and stared at his brother in confusion. At first he said nothing, his violet eyes distant and disoriented. Yami put a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"Are you all right?"

The boy refocused on him, his gaze even more perplexed as if he didn't recognize him. Then….Yugi's face grew stricken with panic.

"Yami!" the younger Mutou grabbed him, his grip nearly cutting off the circulation in the Reaper's arms. "What happened? What's going on? What happened to Tea? What—"

"Yugi…"Yami placed his hand on the younger boy's head, his voice portraying a calm he did not feel. "Everything will be fine…" which was something he was telling himself more than his frantic sibling.

Yugi's wide eyes narrowed. "What is going on, Yami? Where have you been? Who was that guy who broke into the house? And for that matter…what the hell have you gotten yourself into?"

Yami felt slightly surprised at this. He wasn't sure he'd ever heard Yugi swear before…then again, he'd never seen Yugi this freaked out before either. He hated being the cause of that…

"I will explain everything on the way…" the Reaper said, grabbing his brother's arm and towing him out of the living room.

"On the way?"

Yami nodded. "We have to go see a new friend of mine…because he may be the only person…who can get us out of this mess…"

X

Tea moaned softly as she felt the atmosphere around her change. The air…lost some of its coldness…but it was still chilly. This was the kind of briskness, however….that made her think of a desert night.

The girl cringed slightly when she felt another source of coldness. This…was Bakura's hard, icy arms holding her. He felt like a frigid statue, radiating with the essence of pure evil. She wanted nothing more than to knee him where it hurts and run…but her body felt like lead, sapped of all its strength. Still….she had to figure out where she was.

Tea moaned again and forced her azure eyes to open. It was dark out and it took her a moment to adjust. When she did….she felt a wave of shock pass through her system. Bakura was carrying her through a town…a desert town. It looked as though he had walked into that portal directly into ancient Egypt. Sand blew in the wind, stinging her face, and the sky shone with diamond-like stars and a round, full moon.

The city itself…was nothing less than ghostlike. Ancient, ruined buildings stood like grotesque skeletons in the dark, deserted town. They were covered with cracks…and it almost seemed as though the wind was attracted to them. It moaned loudly with a terrifyingly humanoid wail. It was almost as if…this town was haunted…

Bakura walked until he reached what seemed to be the center of the town. It was a large circle surrounded by those same creepy buildings with a few millennia-year-old market stalls. The wind was even shriller here.

Suddenly, Bakura halted, the sand blowing around his feet. He abruptly dropped Tea to the ground and she landed with a painful thud. She sat up, rubbing her upper arm that burned from his icy fingers and glaring at him.

"You're never going to get away with this…" the girl hissed.

A ghoulish grin of smugness twisted Bakura's mouth. "I am afraid I disagree, my dear. I already have."

The demon dropped to one knee and leaned uncomfortably close to Tea. She wanted to back away from him…but it was as if his glacial eyes had frozen her on the spot.

"Your little boyfriend will be here any minute now…." Bakura whispered, his gravelly voice sending chills down her spine. "He will hand me the contract…and I will be the most powerful being on this planet."

Regaining her composure, the brunette turned her face away. She conjured up every last bit of courage she had, narrowing her sapphire gems.

"He'll beat you. He'll kick your ass and keep you from getting whatever crazy power it is you're after! He'll save me!"

"Exactly…" Bakura put his burning finger beneath her chin and forced her head back around to look at him. His expression was cruel…and mocking. "He will come to save you…he will die…and it will be all your fault."

The girl's heart skipped a beat. Her face must have shown the devastation she felt because the demon grinned, stood up, and began pacing around the square. As much as she didn't want to admit it…Bakura was right. Yami was foolishly risking everything just to save her….and the chances of his survival…were slim.

X

Yami pulled his motorcycle to a stop, as he always did, on the dirt road entering the graveyard. The place looked hauntingly beautiful at night. The silvery moon cast pallid light over the white and grey marble tombstones and the church was a large, elegant silhouette on the night horizon. A gentle wind blew threw the trees, sounding a gentle hum over the otherwise silent location.

Yugi got off the back of the vehicle and started ahead without not so much as a glance back at his older brother. Seeing this, Yami sighed heavily, hung his head, and trudged after him like a dog with its tail between its legs. He had told Yugi about the curse, about everything….had shown him the fire just like he'd done for Tea…and Yugi had reacted angrily…not about the curse itself…but about the fact that Yami hadn't trusted him with the secret. He was furious that his elder brother let things escalate to this level before telling him about it…and Yami couldn't really blame him. He should have told him…maybe then he would have been more prepared for the complete and utter shock to the system. He couldn't fault Yugi for giving him the silent treatment.

The duo walked through the maze of concrete slabs and sculpted angels. As they walked, the Reaper could see his brother tensing, his face growing more and more stiff. He knew why…they hadn't been to the place where Solomon was buried together since the day of the funeral. Yami always made sure of that…for he didn't want Yugi to ask him where he'd disappeared off to right after the accident that killed their grandfather happened. Now…the younger Mutou knew everything…and this graveyard only made his feelings of hurt and betrayal grow stronger.

Finally, they stopped…when the groundskeeper came into view. He stood next to a group of gravestones a few yards away from the side entrance into the church, a knowing smile on his aged face. Leaning casually against his tall walking stick, his dark eyes twinkled as if…he'd been waiting for them.

"I thought you would be back, kid…" the old man announced, confirming the duelist's suspicions. His eyes wandered to Yugi. "Who's the look alike?"

"This is my brother, Yugi…" Yami replied, vaguely wondering how long it had been since he'd introduced his brother to anyone. "He was attacked by Bakura at our house…and Tea was taken. I need the Treaty of Kul Elna to end all this…do you know where it's buried?"

The old man raised his bushy eyebrows slightly…but said nothing. After a few moments, the Reaper realized that his mentor…wasn't going to tell him anything. The one man who seemed to have answers to his every curse question…was refusing to help him in the time he needed it the most. He scowled in frustration.

"Fine…" Yami murmured, his voice lower than normal. "I'm just going to have to dig this whole damn place up…"

He started to walk away when his mentor called out to him.

"It's not there, kid…."

Yami turned and gave the man a confused look. He gave a coy smile and ran his finger along the circumference of his staff's tip. The tip was larger and rounded at the top with a single feather attached to it. For the longest time, the youth had thought the entire stick was solid…but gazing closely at it now made him realize…that there was a gap that ran around the long part just below the top, rounded section…meaning that the tip…was a separate piece that had been attached.

The groundskeeper grabbed the feather, pulled…and the tip came off. He tossed it aside like a useless article of clothing and tilted the remaining part of the staff towards the ground. It was hollow, not solid as Yami had originally thought. A thin, ancient scroll slid out of the stick and into the old man's awaiting hand. The paper was aged but seemed to be in pretty good condition.

"The Treaty of Kul Elna…." The man said, with a slight echo of mystery in his voice. He held the scroll in his leathery hands, studying it as if it had been centuries since he'd last laid eyes on it.

Yami reached for it…but he pulled it out of his reach.

"You do realize that if Bakura gets his hands on this contract…the earth will become a living hell…"

The youth stared directly into his mentor's face, blood eyes gleaming with determination. "You are going to have to trust me…" he said unwaveringly. "Bakura may have my soul right now…but he does not have my spirit."

Yugi made a sharp movement out of the corner of Yami's eye. It was surprise. Yami felt something similar at his own words. He couldn't remember the last time he'd said anything with such calm confidence.

The old man was smiling like a proud father. "I knew that from the start, kid." His eyes softened. "Any young man who sells his soul for love…has the power to change the world. You did not do it for greed. You did it for the right reason. Neither Dartz nor Bakura have ever encountered a Reaper other than Ironheart who was not a slave to the darkness. To then…that makes you dangerous…it makes you unpredictable. And that…is the best thing you can be right now."

Finally, the groundskeeper handed his protégé the document and Yami gave a slow, deliberate nod. He could already feel the Orichalcos fire burning within his heart, urging him to get a move on.

"Do you have any idea where Bakura went?" he asked.

The groundskeeper rolled his eyes as if it were the stupidest question he'd ever heard. It…kind of was. Yami realized what the answer was even before his mentor gave it.

"It's the contract of Kul Elna, kid…" the man chuckled. "He went to Egypt."

Yugi gave a soft gasp and the Reaper sighed, kneading his forehead with stressed fingers. "Great…how the hell am I supposed to get to Egypt before he kills Tea?"

He looked at Yugi for possible suggestions…but the boy only hung his head in response.

"Well…." The groundskeeper began with an air of triumph in his voice. "There is always…my way."

Yami turned to look at him, confusion plain on his striking features. That only made the man's smile widen. Tossing aside his dissembled cane, the old man lifted himself up with a strength in posture that Yami had never noticed in him before. Then….Yami let out an audible gasp.

A glowing symbol appeared on the old man's forehead…a ring…a green ring….the Orichalcos. More Atlantian symbols moved up his arms, shimmering with an emerald power that Yami knew all too well. The groundskeeper stretched out one of his hands…and a jagged rip of darkness opened up in the space behind his palm. The rip was person-sized…and it flowed with a warm wind. The breeze was slightly rough…it had sand laced in with it.

Yami stared at the portal….then at his mentor as if he'd never seen it before. The groundskeeper smiled at him and raised a single eyebrow, a silent command for him to think. The Reaper did…and couldn't help the admiring smile that twisted his lips.

"Ironheart…." He murmured softly.

Ironheart's smile widened and he gave a slow nod.

"But…" the Reaper tilted his head to one side. "If you are Dartz's father, then…." He glanced over at the side entrance to the church. Kris sat there, her arms around Skye's furry neck and a sweet smile on her face.

"The Treaty of Kul Elna…was not the only thing I took from Dartz's greedy hands…" the old man said with a tender smile at his granddaughter. He then turned back to look at Yami. "Those two girls are everything to me…and if Bakura gets the power of the Treaty…who knows what horrid fate will fall on them. Please…do not let that happen."

"I won't," Yami replied firmly. "I promise I will get rid of Bakura once and for all."

Then…he closed his eyes…and let the Reaper take over. The green symbols of Atlantis graced his forehead, arms, and back, lighting up the dark graveyard with their emerald glow. His skin faded to white while his hair turned its darker shade and when he opened his eyes…they shone like rubies. He grinned at Ironheart, showing his glinting fangs.

Ironheart gestured to the black rip. "This portal will take you just outside the City of Kul Elna."

"Are you coming with me?" the Reaper inquired. He saw his brother jump out of the corner of his eye at the slight growling quality that always laced into his voice in this form…and felt another pang of guilt.

"No…" the old man shook his head solemnly. "I wish I could…but because this portal of shadows reaches across continents…someone must stay on this side to keep it open."

Yami nodded absently…and slowly turned his gaze to Yugi. The boy was standing there, his face shadowed, feet shifting uncomfortably. His purple eyes were still dark with hurt…and that hurt only deepened when he looked upon his brother…when he saw just how big the secret Yami had been keeping from him was.

"Are…you coming?"

Yugi sighed and hung his head. He shook it slowly, keeping his purple eyes locked on the grass. Yami let out a small breath…and slowly turned toward the portal. The sand hit him again…and this time…he could see the vague shape of pyramids through the shadows. The warm Egyptian wind tickled his face…but now it was laced with a slight coldness. He knew from whom that coldness radiated…and he was going to stop him.

Yami took a deep breath….and stepped out of the woodsy graveyard…into a completely different world.

X

Fifteen minutes after Yami left…Yugi was still standing in the same spot. He stared at the portal as if it could give him some answers. The old man, Ironheart, was standing a few feet away, studying him thoughtfully. Yugi didn't look at him…he didn't look at anyone.

He couldn't believe that Yami had been harboring such a burden all these years….all on his own. He was deeply injured that his brother hadn't trusted him enough to tell him about something so important…it made him feel as though he'd done something wrong to be shut out like that. His brother was his hero…his idol…he couldn't bear to think that he'd hurt him in some way he was not aware of.

"You know…" Ironheart began, startling him. "Yami is going to have to deal with both Bakura and the water demon, Ryota. He could probably use some help…"

Yugi sighed heavily and finally turned to look at the man. He was staring at him with those unnervingly intelligent black eyes…but his expression was soft.

"He doesn't need my help…I would only get in the way."

Silence fell between them for a long moment and Yugi felt as though Ironheart was staring into his very soul, searching for something. Finally, the old man muttered,

"You realize…he did not keep his curse a secret to isolate you…."

Yugi jumped and gaped at the man. How on earth had he known that was what he was thinking?

"He kept it a secret…" Ironheart continued. …for you. He did it because he knew the demons would come after you. I think he wanted desperately to tell you….but he put his own desires aside in order to keep you safe. From what I understand…you are the only family he has left…and he does not want to lose you."

The boy studied him…then turned his gaze back to the black rip in space. Could that be it? Was it because Yami was simply worried…not because he thought his younger brother too weak and unreliable?

Yugi swallowed visibly and took a single step toward the portal before freezing. He could feel the force radiating from it now…a warm wind mixed with the sands of Egypt.

This was it…the point of no return. Either he would go to his brother's aid….or…he would stay here…and pray that Yami would make it back with Tea….alive.

**Don't worry, Yugi will come around. Sorry this chapter was so short, I didn't have as much time to work on it today ^_^. The next, last chapter will be an epic showdown :)! I hope you liked and please review ^_^!**


	12. Taking Control

**I DO NOT OWN YUGIOH OR GHOST RIDER**

**Here's the twelfth and final chapter ^_^! Sorry about the delay, I was busy yesterday LOL ^_^. By the way, after Vampiressbeauty20 and I finish our collaboration, I am going to do a Revolutionshipping Tangled ^_^.**

**Sailorblazd: Thanks ^_^!**

**BlackRose: *riding on Desert Rose's back* Bakura! Leave Marik and Pinkie alone!**

**Psycho Demon Bakura: NEVER!**

**Marik and Pinkie: EEEEEKKKK!**

**BlackRose: *Sigh* Joey! Use Tackle!**

**Joey: JoeyJoeyJoeyJoey *tackles Psycho Demon Bakura* JOEY JOEY!**

**DMG: *Has just succeeded in reviving Sailorblaze***

**Sailorblaze: *Looks at the scene* Ponies…card games…and pokemon…does…not…compute…**

**DMG: Oh, great…I just woke her up!**

**BlackRose: Oops…sorry about that.**

**Aqua girl 007: Haha, sorry about that :). That is probably my favorite line in the movie ^_^. One of the first things I published on this site was a Ghost Rider poem that ended in that line XD. Poor Yugi…couldn't resist having a little fun at his expense LOL ^_^. I have actually never seen Kickass LOL.**

**Atem's Sister Atea: Haha, couldn't resist referencing the infamous Kuriboh plushie ^_^. Yugi will have a little technological help when he goes to Yami's aid :). Yami will keep his curse, but he will stay with Tea unlike Johnny and Roxanne. Dartz and the Great Leviathan issue will be solved in the sequel. Kris, Skye, and Ironheart will move on to the afterlife in the sequel (they've been stuck on earth for ten millennia so I figure they'll be about ready LOL). **

**TwilightPhoenixFyre: Thank you ^_^! Whenever I have free time, if I'm not working on my chapters I'm watching videos so I figure I might as well be working on chapters LOL ^_^.**

**Sunrise Phoenix: Thanks ^_^! I was hoping someone would catch my Haunted Mansion reference ^_^. I'm not sure if you got my PM, but if you didn't, I'm so sorry I forgot to list your review last chapter 0_0. I got your penname confused with someone else's and thought I had answered it LOL.**

**Chibi Mako: *Chasing Chibi Marik and Malik around the room while Chibi Yugi, Mokuba, and Ryo hide under the kitchen table*.**

**BlackRose: Mako! If you don't put that harpoon gun down you'll shoot your eye out! (A Christmas Story reference LOLZ ^_^)**

**Chibi Mako: *Shoots harpoon gun, narrowly misses Chibi Marik***

**Chibi Marik: *Stops and stares* Did…did you just throw a harpoon at me?**

**Chibi Mako: Well…I wanted you to stop running around like heathens…and I didn't know how else to get your attention.**

**Marik: Just ask! Say, "Hey, Marik and Malik…can you take a chill pill?" Don't lob a freaking harpoon at me! That's like the rudest thing ever!**

**Mako: Hey, Marik and Malik! Can you take a—**

**Marik: Well , it's not going to work now! Not after you almost skewered me!**

**BlackRose: LittleKuriboh is BURNED into my brain…^_^**

**Coka Cookie Cola: Thanks ^_^! Haha, yep that's about the order of future events ^_^.**

**Kender20: Thank you ^_^! Yugi will get a little pr-trip help from Ironheart :). Haha, yeah it's my first co-op fanfiction and I'm really excited ^_^.**

**Sorceress of the nile: Thanks :)! That's one of my favorite scenes in the movie too ^_^. I hated not being able to include it, but I can't have Ironheart and the others move into the afterlife until the sequel :).**

**Princesskisara: Thanks ^_^! Since Dartz is the villain, I figured I should put Rafael and Alistair in there somewhere ^_^. Bakura wasn't looking for the graveyard because of the graves, rather he knew Ironheart worked there and was looking to find him so that he could get the Treaty of Kul Elna ^_^.**

**Vampiressbeauty20: **

**BlackRose: *Patting Red Eye's head* That's a good dragon. You scared those mean villains away.**

**Red Eyes: *Growls happily***

**Yami: *Squints* Hold on….who is that? *Points at someone approaching***

**Bakura: It looks like that guy from 5ds who was connected with Paradox.**

**BlackRose: Oh great… *5ds villain approaches***

**5ds villain: I…am…Aporia.**

**BlackRose: *Anime sweatdrops* Ugh…okay, guys, time to get Kate over here to deal with this freak…**

**MutantEnemy6789: Thanks ^_^! I figured that because Yami has been keeping the secret for five years, it would be more realistic if Yugi were to stay mad at him for a while.**

**X**

Yami gasped as he stood before the gateway…of the City of Kul Elna. The sky was black and strewn with the glimmering diamonds known as stars. Sand dunes rolled out on the black horizon, looking more like the ebony waves of an ocean than hills of ground rock. The wind blew coolly against his thin form, stinging his exposed shoulders and arms with tiny fragments of sand. The wind was somehow different in this land…it almost seemed…alive…wailing and whispering into his ears.

Shuddering, the duelist began to walk toward the city itself. It was surrounded by a sand-blasted stone wall that was surprisingly intact in spite of its age of five millennia. The gates themselves were gone, leaving a gap that led into the town. Through that space, Yami could see buildings…dilapidated structures that were covered in cracks and sand. The wind blew in and out of the window openings, looking…almost tangible.

The Reaper took one last step forward…and nearly fell into a moat that surrounded the city. He hadn't been able to see it earlier…because of the elevation of the sand? Or because…something…or someone…did not want him to make it out of this place alive…? The water in the moat was obsidian, rippling and flowing with an eerie quiet. A mist had settled over its surface, making it impossible to see what lurked within its ebony depths.

Yami glanced around, looking for some method of passage over the moat. There was no way he was going to swim it. His crimson eyes flicked over every sandy aspect of the area…but he could find nothing. The water stretched all the way around the city with neither a bridge nor break in its path. He guessed that the gates that had once been attached to that gap in the protective walls had been equipped with a drawbridge of some sort.

Sighing in frustration, Yami turned and was about to search for some means by which to cross the threshold…when two vice-like grips fastened around his ankles. He had time to do little more than yelp…before the hands…or claws…dragged him off the sandy bank and into the water.

Yami fought above the surface, gasping and struggling to get away. He was so surprised by the onslaught that he didn't even think to change into his Reaper form. The grip on his legs let go for a brief moment and reappeared grasping his shoulders. The youth still couldn't see his attacker's face but he could see the arms now. They were muscled and covered with fine black scales. Ebony-clawed fingers grasped his shoulders, digging into his blades with terrifying strength. The sea-faring limbs pulled, trying to drag Yami under, but he continued to fight, determined that he would not loose his advantage of oxygen. He wasn't sure how long he would be able to keep it up though…for his body was becoming rapidly fatigued from the assault. Finally, the creature gave one last mighty tug…and Yami's knees buckled, immersing him in the black depths he'd tried so hard to avoid.

The youth clenched his teeth together beneath the water, trying to prevent any excess oxygen from escaping his lungs. That was difficult, however, as the claws moved again from his shoulders…to his throat. They fastened around his neck and squeezed, trying to make him fight, trying to wear him down so that his air supply would deplete faster.

Groaning, Yami forced his eyes to open just a bit. Darkness surrounded him and he could see nothing….nothing save for the monster that was trying to kill him. It was Ryota, the water demon…and his appearance every bit lived up to his title.

He had dark hair that flowed down a broad, muscular back, and solid navy eyes. The skin on his body was the same as his arms, covered in black scales, but the scales converged into large, armor-like plates at certain areas. These areas included his midriff, his chest, and along his spine, those sticking up like dragon scales. Both his hands and his feet were clawed and his mouth was open, snarling with teeth every bit as sharp and deadly as a shark's. Taking all this in, Yami briefly noted that the scale plates on his chest were separated by a gap in the middle….a gap that looked rather vulnerable….and his instincts were ignited.

The Reaper closed his eyes and stopped flailing, as if he were dead. Then…when Ryota relaxed his grip for just a moment….the youth's eyes snapped open. Now, they were glowing with a fiery vengeance…that was about to be fulfilled. Fear flashed in the water demon's face and a grin spread across his opponent's.

"Surprise…." Yami thought and let out an underwater snarl that revealed his dangerous fangs. It took away some oxygen, but he didn't care. This would be over momentarily…and he was enjoying the complete terror in his enemy's face. 

Yami grabbed the Millennium Puzzle and pulled so that he had just enough free chain to let him haul it back. Then, he drove the point of the Puzzle in between Ryota's chest plates…and grinned again as it began to glow.

The water demon shrieked and thrashed but could do nothing against the object's power. It was eating away at him like acid, making him release his hold on Yami's neck. The Reaper drove his foot into Ryota's midriff, pushing him away, and watched the howling demon…dissolve into sea foam. From the murky depths Ryota came…and to the murky depths Ryota returned.

It was then…during his moment of smug satisfaction…that the Reaper realized his lungs were burning and he was dangerously close to the edge of unconsciousness. Driving his foot into the sandy floor, he pushed to the surface and all but leapt out of the water onto the sandy bank. His Reaper form rescinded, from exhaustion or choice he was not sure.

Yami collapsed onto the sand, his black-clad body heaving with ragged breaths. His black tank top stuck to him like glue and the various belts, buckles, and chains glistened with liquid. After a few minutes of panting and fatigue, Yami lifted his weary head, wiping the wet blonde bangs out of his face so that he could see where he was. Fortunately, he had managed to surface on the right side of the moat…the side which led into Kul Elna's wicked walls.

The youth pushed himself up and got to his feet, trudging through the desecrated gates…and into the ghostly city. Somehow…the air on the interior of Kul Elna seemed colder than it did outside the walls. It whistled and moaned, flowing over the corroded buildings and deserted ally ways almost as if…it belonged there. The buildings themselves were cracked and crumbling…and upon further inspection, Yami noticed ancient, secret escapes built into the homes. Hatches and gaps just large enough for a fit person to squeeze through made it obvious that this place was a village inhabited by convicts and thieves.

After a few minutes of walking through the grotesque city, Yami found himself in a town square. It was ringed by more desecrated establishments and filled with rundown millennia-old market stalls, making it clear that this was some sort of town square. In the middle of the square….stood Bakura…with his cold hand clamped on Tea's shoulder.

Gritting his teeth angrily, the duelist walked forward and stopped when he was a few yards away from his true love and greatest enemy. He reached for his chain, prepared to change into his Soul Reaper form…but Bakura held out his hand.

"You change…" he growled. "…she dies." His whitening hand visibly tightened on Tea's shoulder to emphasize his point.

Tea was beautiful as ever but ruffled. Her chocolate hair was sticking out in all directions and she had dirt caked on her porcelain cheeks as well as her black skirt and lilac top. The girl kept her face firm and brave…but Yami could tell from the slight twitch in her mouth when Bakura's grip tightened that he was hurting her.

"Do it, Yami…" she muttered. "Do it. Don't worry about me."

How could he possibly do that? She was everything to him…he couldn't stop worrying about her. Jaw tensing, the Reaper pulled his hand away from the chain…and instead reached down to his studded belt. He slid the scroll out of it and held it up for the demon to see. It was still a little wet from his fight with Ryota, but it seemed to be unharmed.

Bakura's face twisted into an unpleasant grin. He motioned for Yami to come forward….but he would not.

"Let her go first…" Yami growled in a venomously low voice. He saw Tea's eyes sadden in protest, but he was not about to let her die for his problem.

Bakura stared at him for a moment. Then, he smirked and shoved the girl in his grasp, sending her flying through the air. Tea slammed into one of the buildings and collapsed onto the sand, lying motionless. The Reaper's heart lurched and he started to run to her…but he could see her back rise and fall with breathing…and that at least let him know she was still alive.

Yami narrowed his blood eyes into slits and began to walk toward the demon. Each step he took increased the feeling of coldness and oppression in the air and decreased his chances of surviving this encounter. He would have to be fast…to be sneaky and ruthless if he wanted to kill Dartz's once lead apprentice.

He held out the Treaty, keeping his ruby eyes locked on the aged parchment. This was it…the point of no return. Bakura gave a soft, gravelly chuckle, grabbed the end of the scroll, and pulled…but Yami did not let go. The demon gave him a confused look…and Yami grinned at him…a ghoulish grin lit with wicked eyes, glinting fangs, and a sinisterly glowing green circle.

Laughing impiously, the Reaper hauled back and punched the demon square in the jaw with a sickly white fist, sending the scroll flying out of his coffee-colored hand. Bakura gave a low growl and slowly turned to look at the creature who dared defy him.

"That was for Tea…" Yami snarled, for once enjoying the wicked growl in his voice.

Bakura smirked and with lightening fast movements drove his palm into the youth's chest. Startled by the superhuman strength, Yami went flying backward. He bounced once before collapsing on the cold sand, growling as he sat up on his elbows. He shook the sand out of his blood, black, and white hair and stared piercingly at his enemy.

The demon cackled. "Do you really think you have what it takes to kill me here?" he asked. "This is my city…my village of thieves. You might as well be fighting a demon in the depths of hell!

Bakura then turned his back on him and began walking slowly toward the Treaty of Kul Elna which still lay on the ground. Nothing heeded his path…nothing except a certain brunette dancer. Tea was sitting on her knees, a slightly groggy look that came from unconsciousness in her eyes as she threw pieces of rock at the demon. Part of the building she had been thrown against was crumbling into a pile of stone, giving her the perfect arsenal.

Yami quickly caught on to the idea and began shooting emerald fire balls at Bakura. While neither the rocks nor the fire seemed to truly hurt him…they stung him just enough to be annoying, giving Tea the chance to get to a safer location…and Yami the chance to get back on his feet.

Bakura growled, his icy eyes fading to black….then froze. His gaze was fixed on something…something on the Egyptian horizon. The Reaper turned…and his fiery heart sank. Bands of golden light were beginning to peak from behind the sand dunes, letting him know that dawn was coming…as was his inevitable revert to human form.

Bakura let out a chilling cackle. "It looks as if your time is up!"

"Never…" Yami growled in response. He grabbed his chain, whipped it away from his torso, and swung it at the villain.

Right as the metal rope was about to strike…Bakura's hand shot out…and caught it. He grinned sickly and pulled, swinging the chain up and over his head. Yami went flying, slamming painfully into a building on the other side of the square. He groaned…and sighed in defeat as his Reaper form faded away. It didn't surprise him though…he was exhausted, aching…and the sun was fast approaching. The youth looked up…and felt his heart grow cold…when he saw Bakura picking up the scroll.

The demon unfurled it with careful deliberation and ran his icy eyes over the words written on the parchment.

"This is the Treaty of Kul Elna…" he read aloud. "I am the creator of this document as well as the king of all forms of darkness…come to me, all of you!"

It was that precise moment…that chaos broke loose.

The eerie wind that flowed through the city…turned black and palpable. It separated into the wispy, humanoid forms…of souls. They, no doubt the wicked people of the city, wailed and moaned, slithering with a creepy unnaturalness over the dilapidated buildings. Their bodies were black, their faces anguished and grisly, and their limbs gangly and reaching out to anything that dared venture too close to them. The duelist made sure that he committed no such error.

Keeping close to the ground, Yami began to crawl toward the ally where Tea was crouching. The horrid ghosts twisted and writhed over his head, deafening him with their shrill screams, but he kept his eyes on the brunette's beauteous face…on her hand reaching out to him. Finally, he got close enough to wrap his fingers around hers and she pulled him toward her, away from the soul gathering. Then, wrapped in each other's arms, they watched the gruesome spectacle that was taking place.

The spirits…were absorbing into Bakura. He made horrifying choking sounds as they swarmed in through his mouth and eyes, assimilating them…making them…a part of him.

Yami felt Tea move closer to him and he rubbed his hand up and down her back, unable to take his eyes off the effects of the Treaty of Kul Elna. Ironheart was right…it really would be hell on earth…if he could not stop the demon…or many demons before him.

After several grueling minutes…the ritual was over…and Bakura…was not himself anymore. Or maybe…he was more himself than he had been in his previous form…

The demon's skin was so white that it was almost grey. His shaggy, snowy hair had grown longer, trailing down his back like a spiky cape. Dark horns stood out among the pallid spikes, looking every bit as deadly as they probably were. Long, black talons sprouted from his fingers and the once red coat that revealed his muscled chest…had faded to black, flowing around him in tattered folds like a cloud of darkness. Bakura opened his eyes, revealing irises the color of dark chocolate…and his mouth slowly formed into a grin. The grin…stretched up both sides of his face, showing a multitude of knife-like teeth inside a black mouth.

"My name is Zorc…." Bakura murmured, his voice almost understandable in its growling tone. "I am…the darkness."

Tea turned to look at her lover, taking his face between her soft hands.

"Let's go…: she murmured. "He got what he wanted. There's nothing more you can do…"

Yami looked around, seeing the shadows that surrounded them. The available areas of darkness that gave him power were scarce now, the sun rapidly rising. He looked back at Tea…and allowed the Reaper to slowly take over, changing his features once again.

"I cannot go…" Yami murmured, taking her face between his pale hands. He hoped they weren't too cold on her warm skin. "I have to destroy him…"

The girl's eyes grew anguished as she stared into his glowing orbs. "Why? Why does it have to be you?"

"Because…" Yami leaned in so that his mouth bumped against hers as he spoke, his fangs gently brushing against her lips. "I am the only one…with the power to stop him. I'm the only one who can command both the light…and the darkness."

Then he kissed her for what he hoped would not be the last time. Her lips felt exceptionally warm in his frigid form of darkness…and she didn't seem to mind his icy hands caressing her upper arms. He put his hands on her shoulders…and gently pushed her away from him into a portal of darkness he'd created in the small vestige of shadows. It warped the girl to an ally way that was a good distance away…from the ever approaching Zorc.

Zorc gave an ear-shattering screech, spreading his arms out wide to emphasize his demonic form. His body was actually radiating with darkness, showing just how evil-empowered he had truly become. Yami scrambled to his feet and slid out of the ally, careful to remain in the shadows next to the buildings. He hoped there weren't any stray souls lurking within their former homes, just waiting to grab him…that would only make his problems worse.

Growling, the Reaper took off his chain, spread the Orichalcos fire along it, and swung it at Zorc. The demon snarled piercingly and knocked the object away as if it were nothing more than a simple rope. He then hauled his arm back and unleashed a wave of crackling purple energy. The blast hit Yami in the chest and knocked him into another building. This structure rested in the sun…and consequently, his Reaper form vanished with heart-stopping quickness.

Zorc drew closer, a horrid grin twisting his already contorted features. The claws on his fingers grew even longer, grinding against each other and making a painful blade-against-blade sound. The youth cringed and pressed his back against the sandy wall. There was nothing he could do…he was trapped…backed into a corner…and the monster was fast approaching. He was done for…

Suddenly, a gun blast came from the direction of the Kul Elna gates. It struck the demon's shoulder, splattering part of it into black goo. Zorc snarled and regenerated his almost intangible skin…then glared at whomever it was that shot him. Blinking in confusion, Yami peered around the corner of the building….and allowed a wide grin to spread across his face.

Standing there…holding a shotgun that was almost as big as he was…was Yugi. The boy's violet eyes were narrowed fiercely as he held the gun, clicking it once to reload its ammunition. Yugi glanced at his brother and gave a brief grin before shooting Zorc again. This time, the bullet struck the side of Zorc's face and that only made him angrier.

Yugi shot the demon once more, momentarily blinding him…and giving Yami the chance to lunge. He grabbed the collar of Zorc's black coat, kicking and punching and doing anything he possibly could to weaken him…but the monster did not say disoriented for long. He grabbed Yami by his own shirt and literally threw him through the doors to what seemed like a large temple. He slammed into a set of steps that led to a stone platform. Groaning and struggling to sit up, the youth stared with groggy helplessness…as his enemy drew closer.

Zorc pursued him into the chamber, a wicked laugh rumbling from his throat. The Reaper's brother fired again, making the villain snarl in annoyance. Yami scrambled to his feet and looked around. The shadows were a mere vestige in this crumbling, decrepit temple…but they were enough. He forced the Reaper to come out, groaning in effort as the power flickered just a bit.

"Yugi!" he shouted. "Go! Get away from here!"

"What about you?" the boy called back.

"I will be fine, just—look out!"

Yugi barely jumped out of the way before another deadly wave of energy struck the spot where he'd just been standing, making a significant dent in the temple wall. Yami gave an unearthly shriek and leapt forward, fighting with every last bit of his strength. Zorc, however, grabbed his throat…and lifted him up so that he was hovering off the ground. The Reaper choked, clawing at his enemy's hands…but to no avail.

"All of your world…" the creature growled. "All of your souls…they will all be mine!"

Yami strangled in Zorc's vice-like grin, feeling the cold claws around his throat. Then…his brother came to his aid once again. Yugi fired, this time blowing Zorc's head into a cloud of darkness. Zorc dropped the Reaper and Yugi tried to shoot again…but the gun only clicked in response.

Yami glanced worriedly at the demon whose face was slowly regenerating, then at the gun. He looked down at his arms…glowing with green fire…back at the gun's muzzle…and got an idea.

"Throw it! Throw me the gun!"

"It's out!" the boy shouted back.

"Just throw it!"

Yugi did…and the Reaper snatched it in one hand. He spread the Orichalcos fire along it, morphing the metal into an enhanced version….and fired at his enemy. A burst of emerald light erupted from the machine's muzzle and slammed into the demon, splattering him into black goo on the wall. This was his chance…Zorc would be off-guard from that attack…it was now or never.

Yami stepped forward, letting all the anger and hatred build up within him. The black slime that composed Zorc's body was writhing and slithering across the sandy stone wall, slowly forming back into its humanoid shape…and while he was not yet whole again…Yami knew the creature could still hear him.

"How does it feel…?" the Reaper asked in a low, acidic tone. "All of their power…all of their evil…all of their wicked souls…" he grabbed Zorc's collar and slammed him against the wall, eyes gleaming like blood. "All those evil souls…"

He saw confusion flash in the demon's eyes…and that made a triumphant smile of vengeance reveal his sharp teeth. "You gave up your power…you traded in your Orichalcos energy for the power of the shadows…big mistake, Bakura. You see….my anger has not yet been quelled…but it can be now that you have filled yourself with the wicked souls of all those villagers."

Zorc's expression was a mask of incredulity…and Yami's grin widened even more.

"Your soul is stained with darkness…now…your soul belongs to the darkness."

The glyphs carved into Yami's toned arms began to glow and burn, sending emerald fire dancing along the black buckles encircling them. His eyes burned like fire as he gazed into Zorc's black abyss of a soul…and saw all the evil his previous form, Bakura, had caused. He saw the Chimera Tavern massacre…all those lifeless shells in their previous human forms…all filled with terror….that poor man at the warehouse, losing his soul for simply doing his job…and countless other atrocities he did not recognize.

The fire from Yami's arms swirled from his person to the demon's, making the creature scream in horror. It danced over him, from his black heart to his twisted mind…and slowly formed the tell tale Seal of Orichalcos on his forehead.

"Now…" the Reaper whispered hauntingly. "Experience your own evil…"

Zorc howled as green light shot from his eyes and mouth, consuming him, whisking his souls and power away to the abyss where he'd sent so many innocent lives. Yami sent the power as deep as it would go into the creature's core, ensuring that he felt every last ounce of agony he'd inflicted on so many others. Finally…Zorc's form went slack…and Yami dropped the soulless shell of the white-haired demon to the sandy earth.

"From darkness you came…" the Reaper glared coldly at his lifeless enemy. "And to darkness…I now send you."

He then turned and looked at his brother standing in the temple entry. Yugi grinned at him and casually slung the gun onto his shoulder, as if he'd been doing so for years. Yami grinned back…and his smile grew even larger…when Tea stepped into the room. She hugged Yugi briefly, making him blush as dark as the tips of his brother's hair, before running to Yami.

The girl threw her arms around Yami's neck, hugging him tightly before pulling back. Her azure eyes drank in everything about his changed face…the pale skin…glowing blood eyes…green symbol…fangs…and the Reaper turned his face away shamefully.

"I'm a monster…." He whispered, his growling voice barely audible. He couldn't bear to look at her…to see the fear and condemnation that would understandably be in her eyes….After a moment however, the brunette reached up….and slowly turned Yami's face to look at her.

Tea's eyes… were gentle, compassionate…and filled with love.

"I'm not afraid…" she said softly, rubbing her thumb over the cold, pale skin of his cheek.

The Reaper closed his eyes…and slowly let his form fade away, replaced by humanity. He leaned into her caring touch…and groaned softly when he felt her soft lips press briefly against his. His eyes fluttered open, staring into her half-lidded gems of sapphire. Tea beamed and wrapped her arms around his torso, keeping his sore, exhausted body from falling over. She placed her delicate hand on his chest…and he felt as though a stream of warmth had just entered his heart. Then…they glanced at Yugi…who looked as if he were about to burst into happy tears.

Yugi threw the weapon he was holding aside and ran toward the couple. He wrapped his arm around Yami's free side, helping Tea to support the weary warrior. Yami squeezed his little brother tightly in a side hug.

"Thank you, Yugi…" he said softly. "And…I truly am sorry for not telling you about—"

Yugi waved his hand in dismissal, cutting him off. "Don't worry about it, big brother. You did it to protect me…sorry I didn't get that at first…"

The Reaper chuckled. "Don't worry about it. By the way…where on earth did you get that gun?"

The boy blushed lightly and sheepishly replied, "Uh…Ironheart gave it to me…"

Yami grinned. "Well next time, tell him to give you a bigger one. You're a pretty good shot!"

"I sure as heck hope there's not going to be a next time!"

All three youths burst into laughter. Yami briefly wondered how long it had been since he'd laughed in that way…so happily…so lightly…with one arm around his dear little brother and the other around the love of his life. For the first time in five years…he felt as though a huge weight had been lifted from his shoulders. Until….

"I am terribly sorry to interrupt this tender moment…." Said a familiar voice that sent shivers down Yami's spine.

The trio turned….and saw Dartz standing in the temple doorway. Leaning against his green skull cane, the man looked no different. Same blue hair…same gold and green eyes…same smile that made the entire chamber seem ten degrees colder.

"I wanted to congratulate you, Yami. Well done."

Yami stepped forward a little, glaring at Dartz and spreading protective arms in front of Yugi and Tea. He'd spent so much time worrying about Bakura and the other demons…that he'd forgotten about their former boss. Dartz smiled coldly as if he'd heard the Reaper's thoughts.

"Now that you have fulfilled your part of the deal…." He said in that accented voice the youth hated so vehemently. "…I will take back the curse."

The king of demons held out his pallid hand. "You can go back to the way you were…the king of duelists…you can spend time with your family…even start a family of your own. Let some other naïve fool carry this burden. All you must do…is let me take it away."

Yami glanced at his brother and Tea. They were both glaring at Dartz with the same expressions of hate mistrust as he felt. He curled his fingers into a fist and clenched his jaw tightly. He couldn't give into Dartz again…he refused to let that man have any more control over him…which meant…

Yami slowly lifted his arm….pointed at Dartz…and let the Seal of Orichalcos appear on his forehead.

"No."

Dartz's smirk faded, replaced by a confused frown.

Yami narrowed his fresh blood eyes into slits. "I am going to own this curse…"he growled with great venom. "…and I am going to use it against you. Whenever innocent blood is spilt…it will be as if it came from my grandfather…and you will find me there…fighting for vengeance. I am the only one who can walk in both the light and the darkness…and that is exactly what I am going to do."

The Atlantian prince's face was contorted with rage, his demonic features slowly becoming apparent. "I will make you suffer for this…."

"You cannot live in fear…" the Reaper replied with a crooked smile.

"NO!" Dartz let out an ear-spitting shriek and drove his walking stick into the ground. His face morphed into a ghastly mask of fangs, darkness, and rage. Shadow power swirled all around him, climbing up the walls and across the floor.

Yami wrapped his arms protectively around Tea and Yugi…but there was no need. For all Dartz's power…he could do nothing. The Reaper had refused his deal…so he had no right to attack him in the world of mortals. With one final cry of fury, the demon hit the ground with his cane again…and vanished into the darkness, taking Zorc's lifeless body with him.

X

Yami and his companions stepped back through the rip in space and into the graveyard. It was the early morning now, the sun's warm, welcome light making everything seem vibrant and pure. The air was cool and fresh…and somehow tasted of new promise…and hope.

Yami grinned as Ironheart approached him, no longer carrying the walking stick he did not need.

"Well?" the old man asked with a tinge of worry in his voice. "Did you do it? Is he dead?"

"He is…" the youth replied confidently. "Condemned to the darkness…as are all the wicked souls of Kul Elna."

A proud smile spread across Ironheart's face. "Well done, my boy. I never doubted you for a second."

Yami smiled and wrapped one arm around Tea's waist while the other went around Yugi's shoulders.

"I could not have done it without these two."

Tea kissed his cheek while Yugi beamed and handed Ironheart back his weapon.

"Thanks for the gun!" he cried with such innocence…that all of them burst into laughter. It felt so good to laugh…to indulge in a luxury that was so easily taken for granted…

The Reaper sighed, wiping a jolly tear from his ruby eye. In spite of the light-hearted moment, all was not said and done. There was still a very large elephant in the room…one that he knew he'd been avoiding.

"So….is this over?"

Ironheart's smile faded. His face grew grave and he solemnly shook his head.

"I am afraid not. As long as Dartz still exists as an immortal…he will keep trying to revive the Great Leviathan. He is weakened for now…and he probably will not try again for quite some time…but he will be scheming. We must be prepared for him. We cannot let our guard down for a single—"

"We cannot live in fear," Yami interrupted, his eyes hard with determination. "Dartz stole five years of my past… While I will be ready for him…I will not base my entire life around his existence. I do not intend for him to take anything out of my future."

"But—" Ironheart started only to have his protégé cut him off again.

"But nothing…." He reached out and firmly grasped the old man's shoulders. "If we let this demon rule our lives…than he really has won. I for one, refuse to give him that victory."

Ironheart still looked uncertain…but he nodded anyway. Yami smiled and turned back to his love and brother. "Well…I guess we can go home now. I don't know about you two…but I feel as though I have been hit by a truck."

Tea nodded…then froze in mid-gesture. "Wait…I was taken to Kul Elna by Bakura…and you said you and Yugi doubled up on your motorcycle which I doubt can fit three people. How are we going to get home?"

Yami groaned and ran his fingers through his unruly hair. "I did not even think about that…." And that was the truth. For a while…he had thought he might not even make it home…and now that he had survived the battle…he felt rather stupid for not planning ahead.

Yugi glanced back and forth between the two…then grinned with his usual cuteness. The Reaper and Tea looked at him in confusion, making his smile grow even wider.

"It's not that far…" Yugi said. "I'll walk…catch a taxi in town if I need to."

"Oh, no, Yugi—" the dancer started but he cut her off with a shake of the finger.

"Nuh-uh…no buts. Besides…" Yugi's eyes glinted with mischievousness. "You two have a lot to talk about…don't you?"

Yami and Tea both turned bright crimson and began stuttering pointless nothings. Yugi and Ironheart laughed heartily at the couple's embarrassment. Then, the group said their goodbyes…and set off their separate ways.

X

Yami sighed contentedly as he sat on a boulder, his arms around Tea's waist. They were at that old hill…their hill….the one with the shady tree engraved with the phrase "Y and T forever." Somehow…it seemed even more beautiful than it had all those years ago. The sun washing over the grassy land…the wildflowers dancing in the gentle breeze…the Domino City establishments mere silhouettes on the bright horizon…

Or maybe, the hill was exactly the same as it had always been. Maybe…it seemed more radiant now….because of the new promises in its visitors hearts. Before, Yami and Tea had been a couple of reckless kids, willing to give their futures away for each other. Now….they were matured adults…willing to give away their pasts, presents, and futures away for each other.

Tea glanced up at Yami, her head gently pressed against his shoulder. She looked prettier than ever in the warm light…her chocolate hair blowing against her porcelain face…her blue eyes sparkling…her pink lips lightly pursed…

"I didn't get to tell you during all the craziness…" the girl began softly. "The Domino Theater offered me a contract. They said they'd pay me more than the theater in New York…if I stayed here to perform for them."

"Really?" the Reaper's brows went up. He had to work to keep the hope and anxiety in his voice as he asked, "Are you going to take it?"

The girl gave him a falsely coy look that made her seem exceptionally alluring.

"At first, I wasn't even going to consider it…" she reached up and lightly tugged on one of his blond bangs…just like always. "But now….I am thinking about it…What about you? What are you going to do…you know…now that you've saved the world?" she said that last only half joking.

Yami got up from the rock and turned so that he was looking directly at her. His expression was serious…but loving. "I am going to live with this curse…but…I am not going to let it rule my life. I own the power. It does not own me. I am going to take control of my life…and stop living in the shadow of my own abilities."

He took Tea's hands in his, gently pulling her up to stand with him.

"I want to live my life with you…" the youth murmured, tracing the outline of her pretty face with a single, pale finger. "That is…if you want me…to be a part of yours…. I know that…you probably wish things were different…you know, as far as…what I am…"

The girl gave a shaky laugh, her sapphire eyes glistening with happy tears.

"No…" she said, placing her hand on his cheek. "This is what you are….this is what you were always meant to be…and I'm proud of you…for accepting it. As far as whether or not I want you to be a part of my life…that's the silliest question I've ever heard. I've always wanted you to be a part of my life, Yami…now, more than ever."

Yami wrapped his arms around her waist, feeling happier than he had in what felt like an eternity. He couldn't believe that this was happening….he couldn't believe that after years of doubting and worrying…he had finally gotten his second chance.

"Well?" Tea asked, raising a single chocolate brow. "Are you going to kiss me, or do I have to make this first move?'

Yami laughed and finally crashed his mouth against hers. He kissed her deeply and heatedly, running his fingers through her silky hair while hers snaked around his neck. In that single, fervent moment…they poured every last vestige of passion, love, and hope into each other's hearts. The kiss bound them, intertwined them together with a promise…a promise that no matter what darkness came…they would each have the other as a source of light.

Yami and Tea both fell back onto the soft, warm grass, still locked in their passionate embrace. They would talk about the future later. Right now…all that mattered was the present.

**Epilogue: Three years later…**

Yami sat on the balcony of his bedroom in the Kame Game Shop, staring at the night sky. Years since that magical moment on the Domino countryside hill, he and Tea had gotten married and she had moved in with him. With the combined funds of Tea's dancing career and Yami's dueling career, they had built a separate wing onto the shop for themselves, giving Yugi a room of his own…and giving them a little more privacy.

Their wing was pleasant, including two bathrooms, two bedrooms, and a living area. It had no kitchen, however…Yami had said there was no need for one…for they would never leave Yugi to eat meals all by himself and Tea had readily agreed.

The bedroom which rested behind the duelist was spacious, decorated with soothing shades of reds and golds…not unlike the royal colors of Egypt. The balcony was just as welcoming, with two chairs and a small flowerbox filled with red roses. But… In spite of the likable atmosphere…Yami felt as though a storm was brewing.

He stared at the star-strewn sky, blood eyes searching for something…though he was not sure what that something was. All he knew…was that something felt off…he couldn't quite place it and it was driving him crazy.

Soft footsteps padded up behind him and Yami jumped, rapidly standing to see who it was. Tea stood there, dressed in a light pink pajama tank and white pajama pants decorated with pink ballet slippers. Her chocolate hair was tied into a casual bun with a few strands hanging on each side. Even in her pajamas…the woman was stunning.

"You're a live wire…" Tea chuckled, walking up to her husband and placing her hands on his chest. He still wore the same black clothing…and it still suited him better than anything else. "It's getting late…why don't you come to bed?"

Yami smiled and carefully wrapped his arms around her waist. He kissed her forehead, leaning his against it and sighing quietly. Tea ran her hands over his biceps, feeling with concern how tense they were.

"Something's bothering you…what is it?"

The duelist studied her for a moment before turning back to look at the sky. Should he lie? Say he was fine? No…she would be able to tell he wasn't being honest.

"Something just…doesn't feel right…" Yami muttered. "Dartz is planning something…I just know it…I don't know what it is or when it will strike…but I know he is working on it…."

Tea bit her lip, a shadow of worry entering her eyes. Seeing this, Yami cupped her face and kissed her briefly. "Whatever it is…" he said softly. "The three of us, you, me, and my brother…will be able to handle it."

The young woman smiled. "Don't you mean…the four of us?"

The duelist started, then grinned, realizing what she meant. He placed his hand on her slightly swollen stomach, rubbing it softly.

"You are right…" Yami murmured, fiery red orbs lovingly locked with icy blue gems. "The four of us…you, me, Yugi…and our daughter…will be able to handle it."

**The End! Sequel coming some time after January 2012. I hope you liked my fic and please review ^_^! Thank you for all your awesome comments and advice :). As I said earlier, Vampiressbeauty20 and I are working together on a Revolutionshipping story that will be published under her profile. After that, I am going to do Revolutionshipping Tangled ^_^.**

**I DO NOT OWN YUGIOH OR GHOST RIDER**


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